2013 Vietti, Langhe, Nebbiolo Perbacco

Without a doubt, this is one of the top easiest-to-drink wines I tasted this year. The 2013 Langhe Nebbiolo Perbacco is an approachable and versatile wine that brings on a hearty appetite for genuine home cooking. The wine is ripe with dark fruit nuances and it offers a complete bouquet that is comprised of dark fruit, pressed rose and spice. Despite its apparent simplicity, this Nebbiolo is not without its complexity or depth.

Vietti's 2013 Langhe Nebbiolo Perbacco is an attractive wine to drink now and over the next few years. Dried cherry, mint, anise and dried flowers are nicely delineated in a soft, open-knit Nebbiolo. Over the last few years, Vietti has improved the quality of their Barolo Castiglione in a meaningful way. Perhaps because of that, there is a greater qualitative difference between the Perbacco and the Castiglione. Intuitively, that makes a lot of sense. In practical terms, however, it means the Perbacco is a good wine, but not the overachiever it has often been in the past.