Of Nebbiolo, salami and a Langhe farmer’s dream (#ItalianFWT)

Farming is a difficult life. You’ve got pests, the vagaries of weather, the challenges of getting your product to market. The list goes on.

I knew a lot of farmers when I lived in Central Pennsylvania, a mostly rural area of the state, and had a high regard for the hard work and dedication it took for them to be successful. This respect extends to the grape growers there and everywhere. They’re farmers, too.

As I searched for a wine from the hilly Langhe (pronounced Lahn-ghey) region of the southern Piedmont to feature for this month’s Italian Food, Wine and Travel (#ItalianFWT) theme, I was drawn to the story of one farming family in this northwest corner of Italy.

Dreaming of Nebbiolo

For generations, starting in the early 1990s, the Veglio family knew what it meant to endure the hardships of farming. To be a farmer in the Langhe region meant back-breaking work tending the vines, orchards and gardens; raising livestock — and barely getting by.

To augment his meager income, Angelo Veglio, who was born in 1928, would spend the winter months visiting local farmhouses as a masacrin, a sort of butcher on house call, particularly for the preparation of salami. During the summer, after working in the fields, he would travel to the market in Canale to sell the few peaches his orchards produced.

Angelo dreamed of leaving the life of a sharecropper, purchasing vineyards and making wine using native Langhe grapes. He was especially interested in one grape – Nebbiolo.

In the 1960s, Angelo finally realized his dream with the purchase of his first vineyard, a three-acre parcel of land in Gattera. Over the years, the family acquired additional holdings. Angelo’s son, Mauro, took over management of the family wine business in the 1980s, at the age of 25, and invested in innovations that led the entire Langhe region to become known for high-quality Barolo.

Today, Mauro and wife Daniela cultivate a total of 35 acres. They are best known for producing Barolo wines from their four “cru” vineyards. Mauro now partners with his nephew, Alessandro, ensuring the business will stay in the family for years to come.

Source: Mauro Veglio

Is Langhe a junior Barolo?

Langhe Nebbiolo, a subset of the Langhe DOC (denominazione di origine controllata), is widely considered a junior version of the two Piedmont giants, Barolo and Barbaresco. So what’s the difference?

• Winemaking is similar, but maceration (the time grapes spend fermenting on their skins) is shorter for Langhe Nebbiolo.
• Langhe Nebbiolo hase no minimum aging time and spends less time in oak than Barolo or Barbaresco.
• Up to 15% other indigenous grapes, such as Barbera and Dolcetto, are permitted in Langhe Nebbiolo (though most are entirely Nebbiolo).

These Nebbiolo wines mostly share the same full-bodied character and floral aroma profile. So is it fair to say Langhe Nebbiolo is a junior wine? You be the judge!

Source: wine-searcher

The wine: 2020 Mauro Veglio Langhe Nebbiolo “Angelo,” Langhe DOC
100% Nebbiolo

Grapes for this wine are from Mauro Veglio’s youngest vines. Maceration on the skins takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature for about six days. Fermentation concludes and malolactic fermentation also takes place in stainless steel (about 20 days). The wine is transferred to small barrels of oak for an unspecified period of time and then decants in stainless steel before bottling without fining or filtration. Aptly named for the forebear who believed in this grape.

Tasting notes: Translucent ruby red in color. Red fruit (cherry and raspberry) on the nose with a whiff of wild roses. On the palate, medium+ acidity hits upfront, followed by a cherry and sour cherry bite, and a mouth-coating, medium+ finish. Medium-bodied. Warm from 14.5% alcohol. Price: $28.99. Drink young.

Must-have pairing: In tribute to the Veglio family history, I just had to serve salami and what better way than on a charcuterie plate. In addition to Italian salami, the plate consisted of:

• Prosciutto
• Smoked provolone
• 36-month aged gouda
• Parmesan crisps
• Multigrain crackers
• Olive tapenade
• Castelvetrano green olives
• Radishes
• Red grapes
• Raw almonds

Salt (shhh, don’t tell my doctor), fat and protein – what could be better for softening those gummy tannins. Food and wine accompanied one another seamlessly.

Critics say Nebbiolo is one of those grapes that is difficult to replicate outside of Italy. However, I’ve had memorable Nebbiolo from grapes grown in Washington state and vinified at Montinore Estate in the Willamette Valley of Oregon and from award-winning Va La Vineyards in Chester County, Pennsylvania. As I’ve said before, you be the judge!

Here’s the full list of everyone blogging on this theme. Enjoy!

• Wendy Klik highlights Beef and Pork Ravioli, A Book Review and a Nebbiolo from Langhe on A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Camilla Mann pairs Spicy Mussels Chorizo + 2017 Villadoria Bricco Magno Langhe Nebbiolo at Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Nicole Ruiz Hudson takes “A Deep Dive into Nebbiolo at the Culinary Cabin” on Somm’s Table 
• Linda Whipple entices with “Of Nebbiolo, Salami and a Langhe Farmer’s Dream” at My Full Wine Glass
•  Jen Martin gives us a glimpse with an “Overview of the Langhe Wines” at Vino Travels
• Gwendolyn Alley introduces us to the “Queens of Langhe: Mother Daughter Duo Anna and Valentina Abbona of Marchesi di Barolo” on Wine Predator.
• Host Cindy Rynning entices us to “Explore a New-to-You Wine – Nas-Cëtta from the Langhe in Piemonte” at Grape Experiences.