Nebbiolo d'Alba is a DOC encompassing a large area around the town of Alba, situated in the region of Piedmont in north-west Italy. Granted its classification in 1970, the wines are named after the red grape Nebbiolo from which they are made, and the area where they are produced (Alba). This variety is considered the king of Italian red grapes, prolific in the Piedmont region and the backbone of the internationally renowned DOCG wines Barolo and Barbaresco.
Regulations require that the production zone only includes the following areas: Alba, Canale, Castellinaldo, Corneliano, Diano d'Alba, Vezza and Grinzane Cavour. Within these areas, the 1370 acres (536ha) of vineyards are mainly sited in the hills on both sides of the Tanaro River, although predominantly on the northen side in the Roero hills. Here the soils are sandier than at the vineyards of neighbors Barbaresco and Barolo; this yields wines that are softer, less intense and more approchable at an earlier age.
The wines made under this DOC label must be made from pure Nebbiolo, and the majority of wines are still and red. Although not held in the same esteem as their Nebbiolo counterparts, they are still highly regarded and display similar traits, with strong tannins and aromas reminiscent of tar and roses, as well as good ageing potential. However the still, red version only needs to be aged for one year, as opposed to the two- and three-year requirements applied to famed Nebbiolo DOCGs. Additionally, this DOC's rules allows a dolce and spumante version.
