When Michele Chiarlo went to school for oenology, his father Pietro told him two things. He should always strive to be better, and he should only buy the very best vineyards. At school in the 1950s, he studied alongside some of the great names of Piedmont like Renatto Ratti and Giacomo Tachis. The Chiarlo estate would play an important part in establishing Barbera’s reputation in Asti, and slowly pieced together a selection of Barolo and Barbaresco crus. Since the 1990s, Michele’s sons Alberto and Stefano have joined the operation, and honed the clear-headed, balanced style of the wine. This classic Langhe Nebbiolo is aged in a mixture of steel and large oak barrels, enough to tame Nebbiolo’s sharper edges yet preserve the fresh aromas of raspberries, cherry blossoms, and burnt orange peels. Piedmontese terroir comes through too, a touch of tarry earth and cinnamon. The palate is even tempered, with pleasant acidity and short, insistent tannins coated in raspberry, orange, and black pepper flavors. This is what Langhe Nebbiolo should be, a versatile wine suited to rich ragu, roasted poultry, and nutty cheese.