Nebbiolo Il Principe Langhe DOC 2024 - Michele Chiarlo x 6

Varietal Elegance in Purity: The Philosophy of Michele Chiarlo Nebbiolo Il Principe

The Michele Chiarlo Il Principe 2024 represents an exceptionally fragrant, sharp, and immediately appealing interpretation of the native grape variety that rules the Langhe. The Chiarlo family, now in its fourth generation of winemakers, approaches the wine world as passion and destiny, passing down from father to son a heritage of living and dynamic knowledge. The winery's traditional rigor is expressed in the technical choice to vinify exclusively as a monovarietal, aiming to capture the truest essence and expressive character of the grape. Il Principe stands out as a vibrant, perfectly balanced still red wine, designed to offer an approachable yet stylistically deep entry into the universe of Nebbiolo.

Hillside Agronomic Notes and Protective Cellar Protocol

The vineyards delve their roots into hillside soils with a predominantly calcareous and sandy matrix—a unique pedoclimatic conformation ideal for emphasizing the most volatile varietal aromas and preserving a vibrant acidic freshness. The climate trend of the 2024 vintage favored gradual phenolic ripeness, allowing the winery to gather healthy clusters rich in stable aromatic precursors. Following the parcelized manual harvest, the cellar protocol applies strict technical criteria: the must undergoes alcoholic fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats with gentle, measured macerations. This controlled contact avoids the extraction of harsh edges, guiding the mass toward ideal aging in large wood that safeguards an alcohol content of 14.00% Vol.

Sensory Profile and Organoleptic Assessment

Artisanal vinification combined with calibrated horizontal rest in the cellar grants the cuvée an organoleptic framework of sharp expressive clarity for this refined Piemonte red wine.

• Blend and Classification: 100% Nebbiolo / Langhe DOC (or Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC) / Still organic red wine.
• Analytical Data (2024 Vintage): Alcohol Content: 14.00% Vol. / Parcel aging in stainless steel and large wood / Volume: 750 ml.
• Visual Assessment: Light ruby garnet color, limpid and of excellent luminosity in the glass, characterized by a youthful and brilliant chromatic transparency upon swirling.
• Olfactory Framework: Broad, clean, and elegantly multifaceted bouquet. Consistent floral scents of violet and dog rose stand out on the nose, perfectly integrated with fragrances of small wild berries, wild strawberry, raspberry, and subtle background sweet spicy nuances.
• Palate Characteristics: The tasting reveals a dry, straight profile enlivened by a beautiful gustatory fluidity. The progression displays a good structure and a harmonious body, where the fine acidic backbone balances the alcohol warmth. The tannic texture is fine, polished, and well-integrated into the mass, capable of enveloping the palate and guiding the pour toward a savory, clean finish of fine persistence.

Service Guidelines and Gastronomic Pairings

The structural fluidity and intense aromatic core of this vintage Nebbiolo determine remarkable service versatility throughout the meal, making it an ideal partner for flavor-rich land-based cuisine or premium platters.

• Stable Pairings: It pairs magnificently alongside first courses featuring meat sauces, baked lasagne, and vegetable first courses enriched with mutton. It excels paired alongside roasted white meat second courses, grilled pork, savoy cabbage stew with pork trotter, savory donkey stews, or flavorful meat chops enriched by spicy nuances. It displays surprising synergies when paired alongside sheep's milk cheeses, aged charcuterie, and rich traditional specialties like Neapolitan casatiello.
• Serving Method: To promote the development of the fragrant fruity profile and ensure proper integration of the gentle tannins, opening the bottle one hour in advance is recommended, using a wide tasting glass of Ballon type at a serving temperature of 16 - 18°C.