But where Nebb, Barb n Dolce (the original Golden girls) are wines famous for their structure, their rich complexity and depth of flavour (not to mention aromatics out the wazoo), Grignolino is a little more reserved (until you get to know her at least). Grignolino has been called baby Nebb, or even summer Nebb. Expect brighter aromas and flavour profile; floral notes, sage, wild strawberries fresh on the vine. To be clear, Grignolino is a red grape, but one that you’ll see prepared in every shade from flushing fuschia, right through to deeper garnet.

Grignolè, the Italian word for seeds, is where Grignolino takes its name from. The smaller, dark berries are packed with pips, and while they make for unpleasant chewing, on the winemaker’s bench (or rather in the winemaker’s vat) these seeds yield plenty of tannin, making this light-bodied style a real tongue tingler. Think Grignolino, think fresh, think bright, think acid, and think of lip smacking tannin that hangs at the front of the wine– Grignolino is a style commonly enjoyed young after all, while those patient Italians waited for the sterner stuff (those Nebbs and Barbs) to age. The mouthfeel, while lively, is light and lovely. To chill it down is no crime, in fact many would say it’s a strong recommendation. And we are of the many.

Looking at the map, expect to see Grignolino growing abundantly in regions like Asti (home of heavenly Moscato) and Monferrato Casalese, though it’s a grape worth trying from a few different home footings. Like Nebbiolo, plantings are sensitive to differences in site, and small changes in terroir manifest as distinctive diversity in the wines. In the Grignolino d’Asti denomination, (Grignolino appears across three DOC’s) sandier soils give rise to lighter wines than those enjoyed across the way in the more northern Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese denomination, where clay is king.

Think of Grignolino as your first course wine for an Italian banquet, the warm up red that plays nicely next to white cheeses, olio drenched carpaccio and figs. If that doesn’t wet your whistle, what will? Crack your Nebbiolo next, and settle in for an evening of delight and grandeur. Smashing.