Nebbiolo is a late-ripening grape that is responsible for great wines of Piedmont, Barolo, and Barbaresco. Notoriously difficult to cultivate, Nebbiolo tends to be planted in the warmest hillside sites, where drainage is excellent. The biggest challenge to makers of Nebbiolo is in managing the tannic structure of the grape while bringing out the wonderful aromatic complexities inherent to the variety. While the style of Barolo and Barbaresco has moved away from the hard, tannic, closed wines of the past, the best of these wines still benefit from 7-10 years of aging.