One of the most important grape varieties of the Piedmont tradition particularly in the Alba and Langhe areas. It probably owes its name to the abundant flowering on the mature fruit, which creates an almost 'mist-like or' 'nebbia' covering. Another explanation could be that the late maturation accrues within the Autumn mists. The vine brings a healthy phenotypic unpredictability, the result of age-old multiplication by seed, and the accumulation of subsequent mutations alongside the vital presence of viruses. It's a vine characterised by a particularly long cycle and very slow maturation. It's demanding in terms of brightness and heat requirements and dreads in particular the cold and wet springs which the crop might well have to endure. But it produces splendid, well structured wines, with good acidity and alcohol level; excellent tannin content but demonstrating a not overtly-high level of anthocyanins.
It's a vine which produces grapes of the highest quality, in every sense, but in particular for the complexity of its character, there's excellent balance between colour, body, acidity, accompanied by lingering and stimulating flavours, and an alcoholic robustness.
Hence it's a grape suitable for wine production either totally by itself or with a minimum of outside contributors; capable of producing wines appreciated as being 'noble', with great body and with a healthy life-span subject to appropriate refinement. It produces, by definition, wines suitable for ageing with reliable and stable colour and flavour. After suitable maturation wines produced from the nebbiolo vines boast a bouquet full of fruit, dried flowers and spices.