Punset

2024 Langhe Bianco DOC Nè?

“Né?” is one of those words that doesn't really translate. Spend any time in Piedmont, and you'll hear it constantly. At the café. At the butcher. Across a dinner table somewhere in the Langhe, where lunch has quietly drifted into its fourth hour. It's a tiny word, usually tacked onto the end of a sentence, but it does a lot of heavy lifting. It softens a statement. Invites agreement. Says, "you know what I mean?" without actually having to ask. The closest thing we have is probably Canada's "eh?", though the Piedmontese would likely insist theirs is more elegant. They're probably right. Né?

This wine feels cut from the same cloth. A blend of Arneis and Nascetta, two local varieties that have spent generations happily living in Nebbiolo's shadow, doing the less glamorous but arguably more important work of keeping people hydrated between bottles of Barolo.

The nose opens with white flowers, orchard fruit, a touch of honey. The palate is generous and easygoing, with ripe apple and pear fruit, a soft texture, and just enough acidity.

This isn't a wine for deep contemplation. It's a wine for conversation. For a crowded table. For another plate of tajarin arriving when everyone agreed they were already full. Chill it down, pour it generously, and don't overthink it. The Piedmontese certainly wouldn't. Né?