About Nepas
- Style
- Sweet
- Grape Varieties
- Nebbiolo
- Price Range
- $55-75
- US retail, ex-tax, typically 375ml or 500ml
A rare Nebbiolo passito — its name a contraction of 'Nebbiolo Passito' — made using a nearly-vanished traditional method the Fantino brothers continue to specialize in. Grapes are harvested two to three weeks earlier than for their Barolos, then dried on racks until around Christmas before pressing. Almost dry, with only about three grams of residual sugar, it is often described as 'Amarone meets Barolo,' showing a wide range of flavors including nuts, spices, dried herbs, dried fruit, and smoked meat.
A dying art bottled — the Fantino brothers may be the last serious hand at Nebbiolo passito, and every bottle tastes like a small act of preservation.
New to wine?
Not a typical sweet dessert wine — approach it as a rare, dry, intensely flavored Nebbiolo curiosity rather than a nightcap dessert pour.
Food Pairings
Best enjoyed on its own with good company at the end of a meal, rather than with dessert — its dry, tannic structure clashes with sweets, but pairs beautifully with pure dark chocolate or aged cheese.
When to drink it
End-of-meal sipping with friends, wine-geek tastings, pairing with dark chocolate
Terroir & Winemaking
100% Nebbiolo, harvested 2-3 weeks before the estate's Barolo grapes and dried on racks (appassimento) until roughly Christmas before pressing. Finishes almost dry, with approximately 3 g/L residual sugar.
About the producer
A. & G. FantinoTraditional Barolo mastery from the heart of the Bussia cru.Visit the producer page →More wines from A. & G. Fantino
- Barbera d'Alba SuperioreRed · Barbera
- Barolo "Vigne Vecchie" Cascina DardiRed · Nebbiolo
- Barolo Bussia "Cascina Dardi"Red · Nebbiolo
- Barolo Bussia Riserva "Cascina Dardi"Red · Nebbiolo
- Barolo ChinatoSweet · Nebbiolo
- Laboro DisobedientRed · Nebbiolo
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Nepas?
- Nepas is short for 'Nebbiolo Passito,' a rare dried-grape Nebbiolo wine made by the Fantino brothers using a traditional, nearly-vanished Piedmontese method.
- Is it a sweet wine?
- Not really — despite being made from dried grapes, it finishes almost dry with only about 3 grams of residual sugar per liter, so it doesn't taste like a typical dessert wine.
- How is it made?
- Grapes are picked 2-3 weeks earlier than the Barolo harvest, then dried on racks until around Christmas before pressing.
- What should I pair it with?
- It's best sipped on its own after a meal, though pure dark chocolate or aged cheese can work well; avoid sugary desserts, which clash with its dry, tannic structure.
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