It is a white wine from the Piedmonte region that almost went extinct. As nebbiolo became the favored grape for wine making in Piedmonte, the Nascetta, a delicate, unstable, difficult to cultivate grape with unpredictable yields, gradually disappeared from the vineyard.
The person credited with the revival of Nascetta is Elvio Cogno. In 1993 Elvio Cogno and Valter Fissore, together with other producers from Novello, accepted an unusual invitation from journalist Armando Gambera and uncorked a few bottles of Nascetta from 1986. The Nascetta astounded everyone for its fine and elegant profile, tasting very much like a Sauterne.
In 1994, not one vineyard with 100% Nascetta could be found so the grapes had to be cherry-picked from among the vineyards throughout Novello in order to make the 1994 vintage of Nascetta which consisted of 800 bottles made by Elvio Cogno.
In 2002, Nascetta became a DOC “Langhe” wine. In 2010, it obtained the most prestigious recognition of its own appellation, “Langhe Nas-cetta of the Township of Novello,” whose production is only authorized within the confines of the township of Novello and using 100% Nascetta.
The Rivetto Nascetta to me had a distinct aroma reminiscent of Viognier. The wine was mascerated on it's skin for 72 hours. I didn't really appreciate the style of this wine but I need to give it another try with an open mind if not an appreciation of being a grape rescued from near extinction.
References:
1. Azienda Agricola Cogno, The story of Nascetta, January 1, 2019.
