Welcome to the board! For casual weeknight drinking, I actually prefer Vajra’s Langhe Nebbiolo ($18-23) or Langhe Rosso ($12-16) to their Albe Barolo ($30-35). They are made in a less tannic and more fruit forward style that’s still very food friendly. I’m outside of the norm here, but I typically drink the less expensive reds from Vajra or the more expensive single vineyard Baroli. The Albe just doesn’t satisfy either the QPR or the high end nebbiolo experiences I’m typically looking for. Many here love that wine though.
Tenuta Carretta Roero Riserva Bric Paradiso (not easy to find but occasionally on lastbottle or firstbottle)
Fontanafredda Barolo Serralunga
Vietti Langhe Nebbiolo Perbacco
Lodali Barolo Bricco Ambrogio (slightly more)
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco (the 2016 is still around… its a bit more pricy but very very much worth the added cost, especially the 2016)
I have tried 2 recent bottlings and found them both to be punishingly tannic, and I drink a decent amount of young nebbiolo. I bought a bunch based on reputation and comments like these, but I’m letting them rest a while.
Like suggestions for Vietti Perbacco, Vajra (heck even Albe isnt far out of the range), and alto Piemonte. My answer to QPR Nebbiolo is always Produttori del Barbaresco though. Langhe through the crus its almost always a good QPR Nebbiolo for what you get.
The only thing I don’t like about Vallana is how generic and similar their labels are! Its very easy to mix up the Boca, Spana, and Campi Raudii. Don’t ask me how I know…
I think better examples of Langhe Nebbiolo make better near-term drinking than any Barolo, however inexpensive. I drink a ton of Langhe Nebbiolo and I have a lot of Barolo in stock too…
Ones I think shine and are approachable, and on the cheap:
Runchet Langhe Nebbiolo
Vietti Perbacco
Sandri Langhe Nebbiolo
Funsu Langhe Nebbiolo (a little more vintage dependent)
Roagna Langhe nebbiolo (top of your price range, but more pleasurable than most BB/Baroli)
Principiano Nebbiolo le Coste
Burlotto Langhe Nebbiolo
Sperino Uvaggio
Travaglini Gattinara
Produttori Carema
Scarzello can be very good but vintage dependent
Luigi Oddero Langhe Nebbiolo
Produttori Barbabresco
Another not all nebbiolo:
Burlotto Mores (nebbiolo-barbera blend)
Of those listed in Todd’s comment, I heartily agree with Vietti Perbacco, Sperino Uvaggio, Produttori Barbarresco and Produttori Carema. Though the middle two can run > $30 depending on the market you are in.
I don’t disagree with the others–rather, I simply haven’t tried them.
Lots of worthy bottles mentioned. Adding another one: Columbera & Garella Costa della Sesia. Even has the structure to age well, in the couple of vintages I’ve tried, 2016 and 2018.
But if you are willing to pay around $35 USD and you want the Barolo side of things, Roberto Voerzio’s Langhe Nebbiolo is awesome. And compared to his actual Barolo cost, a great value.
On the more modest end, Paolo Conterno ‘A Mont’ is quite nice.
Sottimano Langhe Nebbiolo (declassified Basarin Barbaresco)
And
The already mentioned Produttori Nebbiolo di Carema Classico and Riserva
I import these, disclaimer.
This one might not be that easy to find, but it’s a treasure. My tasting note on CT from 1/29/2020:
_92 points
(Tasted after a short decant)…WOW, this is good. Upon entry, the mouth is greeted by generous flavors of rose hips, red currant, and black cherry, which are adorned with notes of tobacco, leather, hot iron/blacksmith shop, and a certain unnamable flavor that I would call “Italianate/old world rectitude”, that I associate with more expensive Barolos or Burgundies with some age. The tannins and acidity are likewise generous, but fine and well-mannered, giving a lingering finish, and there is some floral perfume at the end.
I paid $20 to WTSO for a single bottle of this wine, which drank far above its modest price point. I wish I could turn back time and buy every available bottle at that price.
As an aside, this bottle threw a great deal of sediment._
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