Nascetta’s Second Life: The Forgotten White Grape of Langhe is Growing Again

In Langhe, one of Italy’s most renowned red wine regions, a white grape that was nearly forgotten for many years under the shadow of Nebbiolo and Barolo is making a comeback. Nascetta — locally known as Nas-cëtta or Anascetta — has now reached a production area of just over 50 hectares. The Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani clearly defines the variety as a “rediscovered local grape.”

The starting point for this topic entering the StaffMag archive is Gambero Rosso’s selection of “The 6 Best Nascetta of Langhe” dated April 5, 2024. At that time, six Nascetta wines that received Due Bicchieri Rossi or Due Bicchieri in the Vini d’Italia 2024 guide were highlighted. However, as of August 2026, republishing this list as “the best six Nascetta of today” would not be current. The harvest years of the wines are from 2021 and 2022; the selection is more than two years old.

In contrast, the story behind the list has become stronger today: Nascetta is no longer a forgotten variety preserved by only a few producers. The assessment by the Associazione Italiana Sommelier in July 2026 reports that the grape has gained interest beyond its starting point in Novello and is experiencing a new commercial era within the broader producer community of Langhe.

Back to the wine market from a few rows of vines

To understand Nascetta’s current position, we first need to look at why it disappeared.

According to Consorzio sources, the grape was more widely found in Langhe in the past. Records regarding Nascetta also exist in 19th-century ampelography studies. However, in the 20th century, as varieties that generated higher economic value became widespread, particularly Nebbiolo at the center of Barolo production, Nascetta gradually became marginal. At one point, it continued to exist only among a few old vineyards and mixed plantings.

The rediscovery of the variety began in the early 1990s. According to AIS’s detailed history from 2026, the Daniele family behind Elvio Cogno and Le Strette played a decisive role in the return of Nascetta to commercial production. Elvio Cogno produced the first batch of about 800 bottles from the remaining limited vines in 1994; the first production from Le Strette came a few years later.

This small beginning found official recognition after a long legislative and production process. Nascetta began to be included under Langhe DOC in 2002. Langhe Nas-cëtta del Comune di Novello DOC was recognized in 2010. This designation specific to Novello only allows production within the municipal boundaries of Novello and requires 100% Nascetta grapes.

It is important to distinguish between two statements: the broader Langhe DOC Nascetta and the specifically designated Langhe Nas-cëtta del Comune di Novello do not express the same geographical scope. Accurately conveying this distinction when preparing restaurant wine lists is crucial for telling the story of origin and production correctly.

What did the six highlighted wines of 2024 tell us?

Gambero Rosso’s 2024 selection provides a useful snapshot of the different producer interpretations of Nascetta at that time.

The selection included Le Strette’s Pasinot 2021 and Nas-cëtta 2022 labels, Tenuta Rocca’s Langhe Nascetta 2022, Casa E. di Mirafiore’s Langhe Nascetta 2022, Elvio Cogno’s Anas-cëtta 2022, and Anna Maria Abbona’s Netta 2022 wines.

The list should not be used as a purchasing guide today; harvest and current distribution conditions may have changed. However, it remains significant in demonstrating producer diversity.

Particularly, the presence of Le Strette and Elvio Cogno on the list is historically noteworthy. Both producers were among the early actors in the return of Nascetta to commercial production. Thus, the variety has been reestablished not only with a nostalgic “lost grape” story but also through nearly thirty years of continued producer investment.

Today just over 50 hectares

When evaluating the growth of the grape, it is essential to read the scale correctly.

Compared to Barolo or other major Piemonte varieties, Nascetta is still extremely small. The Consorzio indicates the current total area is just over 50 hectares and notes that a significant portion of the production is still located around Novello.

However, a small production area does not always mean a disadvantage for gastronomic businesses.

Less-known local varieties on restaurant and wine bar wine lists can create differentiation, especially in products with a strong story and distinct gastronomic use. The presence of a limited-production wine like Nascetta alongside major international grape varieties provides the sommelier team with a more unique product to present to customers.

AIS’s assessment in July 2026 indicates that Nascetta is no longer limited to the historical producers of Novello but has attracted the interest of more producers across Langhe. The publication considers the grape’s ability to show character both when young and after aging as one of the features that increase producers' interest.

What matters for sommeliers is not selling the “unknown grape”

The primary challenge of selling lesser-known varieties in restaurants is name recognition.

A customer may at least have a general idea of what to expect when seeing Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio. However, “Nascetta” is a completely new name for many international guests.

In this case, the service team needs to be able to explain the product without overwhelming it with technical terms.

The Consorzio describes Nascetta as a white and semi-aromatic grape. In young examples, structure and aromatic character stand out, while the variety’s sufficient acidity and structure allow for different production and aging approaches.

Gambero Rosso highlights profiles such as white fruit, citrus, floral notes, freshness, mineral character, and a slight bitter finish in some productions. It notes that it can pair well with shellfish, raw fish, vegetable-based starters, fish-based pastas, lighter white meats, and fresh cheeses.

From a restaurant perspective, the goal here is not to convey all technical features to the customer. A short and clear service sentence like “a local white variety that was nearly lost in Langhe and is now being produced again” can often convey the product’s story more effectively.

Why can a local grape create value on a restaurant list?

Having an unknown label on a restaurant wine list does not automatically translate into commercial value.

If the product is not well explained and priced correctly, the bottle may remain in stock. Particularly in limited-production or imported wines, low stock turnover increases tied-up capital.

In return, well-chosen local varieties can create value in three areas.

First, differentiation. It becomes possible to stand out from competitors carrying the same global labels.

Second, storytelling. A variety like Nascetta, which has returned from the brink of extinction, has a tangible cultural background that can be narrated by the service team.

Third, pairing flexibility. White wines with sufficient acidity and gastronomic character can support food sales in tasting menus or glass programs.

However, simply leaving the product to the sales team with the approach of “we’ll explain it if the customer asks” is not sufficient. The establishment adding a new and lesser-known grape to the menu needs to provide brief tasting training to the service staff, teach correct pronunciation, and establish a few clear food pairings.

Nascetta’s rebirth also carries lessons for product development

The story of Nascetta is not just about wine.

Many local products have been abandoned in various areas of the gastronomy sector due to decreased economic value. Seeds, grains, fruit varieties, cheese techniques, or fermentation methods can be lost against large-scale and more predictable alternatives.

The return of Nascetta did not only require a few producers to replant the variety. Understanding the product technically, defining it in legislation, forming a producer group, and narrating it in the market took years. Today, while the Consorzio reports that the variety has reached over 50 hectares, AIS notes increased activity around production in 2026.

Therefore, “local product” alone is not a commercial strategy. For a local product to be economically viable, production knowledge, standardization, distribution, gastronomic use, and customer communication must develop together.

How should it be read in terms of Turkey?

No current and comprehensive import data has been identified regarding the direct availability of Nascetta in the Turkish wine market. Therefore, it would not be accurate to say it is commonly found in Turkey.

However, the model is meaningful for restaurants, sommeliers, and local producers in Turkey.

Turkey also has many local grape varieties. Focusing restaurant wine lists solely on international varieties or a few domestically well-known grapes can limit regional diversity from reaching customers.

The lesson from the Nascetta example is not to “add every unknown grape to the list.” A more accurate approach is to create a controlled selection of local varieties that have gastronomic compatibility, sustainable production quality, and can be narrated by the staff.

This can be particularly applied in glass programs. While the barrier to purchasing an entire bottle of a grape that the customer has never heard of may be high, a glass option can reduce the risk of trying.

According to Stafflink

The resurgence of Nascetta well illustrates the difference between the “locality” discourse in gastronomy and the real product ecosystem.

It is easy to put a product on the menu because it is local. However, ensuring that the producer can economically survive, that the quality becomes consistent, and that the customer understands why they should choose it is a longer process.

In our view, restaurants need to look not only at prestige and story but also at operational sales data when selecting local or lesser-known grape options. Sales per glass, bottle stock turnover, staff recommendation success, performance in food pairings, and customer repeat orders should be monitored.

At the same time, the role of the service staff is critical. A grape that the customer has never heard of can become a strong experiential element in the hands of a well-trained sommelier or service staff; however, without sufficient product knowledge, it can turn into an unexplainable expensive line on the menu.

Thus, the story of Nascetta’s more than thirty-year return is not just about the success of viticulture. It is an example of how producer, legislation, industry training, gastronomy, and narrative can together revalue the same product.