Nascetta is a moderately aromatic white grape that is often described as the Langhe’s only native white grape. It is native to the territory of the commune of Novello, one of the eleven communes of the Barolo denomination, where it is also called Nas-cëtta. But like many other of Italy’s native wine grapes, it had been all but forgotten and risked extinction by the end of the twentieth century. Fortunately, a handful of local Novello producers were aware of their local grape and its winemaking tradition, and so bandied together in 1994 to save Nascetta from oblivion. In so doing, they avoided it having the same fate of the blue walleye, the quagga and any other of the 150 species of life that go extinct every passing day. Their passion, devotion and hard work led to wines that met with unbridled success, and today Nascetta in not only here to stay, but is associated with genuinely exciting, ever-improving wines produced outside of the territory of Novello too.
