I made my first post to the board the other day, asking about high-QPR Nebbiolo (which many of you were so helpful with, thank you!) and now I have another question along those lines…
Are there any comparable red varietals worth seeking out, with a similar combination of high acidity/tannin and relatively light body?
what you are looking for is Nerello Mascalese.
edited to add some producers (but also to add check out the current Nerello thread): Terre Nere, i Vigneri (salvo foti), cornelissen, passopiascaro
Xinomavro
Aglianico and Ramisco/Colares maybe?
Freisa. It is another Piedmont grape and actually genetically related to Nebbiolo but with a more spicy character.
Depending on what qualities you want to emphasize.
I’d say Xinomavro is the closest call on all characteristics: color, aroma, tannins, ageability.
Some other wines that I often confuse for a Nebbiolo when tasting blind:
Sangiovese - Chianti Classico (lacks the floral qualities of some Nebbiolo wines and is often somewhat darker in color)
Baga - Bairrada (aromatically slightly different, but often very similar in regard to color, weight, tannins and ageability)
Aglianico - Taurasi (stylistically slightly weightier, chewier and darker in color, but can be quite similar to a Nebbiolo in regard to tannins and aromatics, especially with age)
Nerello Mascalese - Etna (often slightly lighter and less tannic, but can be quite similar in color and aromatics)
Gaglioppo - Cirò (some wines can be deceptively Barolo-like, only the best ones can be even more perfumed and nuanced; I wish these wines were more readily available)
Freisa - Piemonte (well, as a close relative to Nebbiolo it’s not a big surprise the variety can produce wines quite similar in style; look for producers making serious, still wines and not playful, slightly fizzy wines)
Tazzelenghe and Pignolo (Friuli’s answer to Barolo and Barbaresco; probably stylistically closer to Aglianico, seeing how they are somewhat darker and more muscular in style, but nevertheless quite similar to a more concentrated Nebbiolo)
Otto, you’re saying you’ve confused Tazzelenge and Pignolo for a Nebbiolo? Nah… I don’t believe you 
Got me on that one - since I’ve never had Tazzelenghe or Pignolo blind! They’re so hard to come by these days as so few producers make them anymore.
And as I said, they’re stylistically closer to Aglianico than Nebbiolo, seeing they are noticeably darker in color and chewier in texture than a typical Nebbiolo. They do share the same kind of acidity and tannins, however.
What they both have is pronounced acidity, but, quite aside from the fact that I don’t think there is any such thing as “Nebbiolo acidity” (or at least it is not a very clear-cut notion to me, given that this can also be very much soil-related, and Nebbiolo thrives in a number of very different terroirs in Italy), I don’t believe I have ever in my life come across a Nebbiolo with acidity as coarse, fierce and positively menacing as that of most Tazzelenghe. In fact, if pushed, I think the only thing that Tazzelenghe sometimes reminds me of are some totally unapologetic, old-style Teran wines from Istria. As for Pignolo, of course, a lot depends on how it is made, but I tend to think of it as something a lot closer to the Bordelais archetype than to anything coming from Piedmont…
On Xinomavro… naturally, I see the commonalities, but somehow I’m always slightly perplexed when people claim it is very much like Nebbiolo. To me, more often than not, the aromatics are VERY different. I normally perceive Xinomavro as something very distinctive aromatically. I’m yet to come across a Xinomavro that to me actually smells like a Nebbiolo…
All very subjective, though.
Liatiko from Crete.
Fully agreed on all points (except for the Xinomavro part since I’ve had multiple Xinomavros that have been deceptively similar to a Nebbiolo!).
And my experience with Tazzelenghe is very limited and I do agree that their style is positively aggressive - same cannot be said of many contemporary Nebbiolo wines. I’d draw parallels with the very old-school and austere Nebbiolos which emphasize structure over drinkability to the style of wine a typical Tazzelenghe produces.
While I’ve had relatively few Teran wines, those that I’ve had have reminded me more of Loire Cabernet Franc than anything else - but then again, maybe I just haven’t had any of those unapologetic, old-style Teran wines (which do sound very intriguing to my ears!).
And as for that Bordelais archetype - I guess that really depends on who’s asking! To some, the Bordelais archetype is a classic, lean, mean and green wine with high acidity, tough tannins and relatively little fruit, whereas to others the Bordelais archetype can be cassis, luxurious oak, silky tannins and soft acidity that is just enough to keep the wine balanced yet enjoyably soft and smooth.
Finally, my point on listing varieties that one might confuse for a Nebbiolo wasn’t to list varieties that’d be identical to Nebbiolo! Honestly, Nebbiolo itch is a thing that’s hard to scratch with other varieties - these were just varieties that come close, and from different points of view; some are more similar aromatically, some structurally and some with just that overall feel. And seeing how many different styles of Nebbiolo there are, it’s task at hand is already getting impossible. 
Spanna
Chiavennasca
Xinomavro +1
Oh, come on… neither of these are archetypes. The former is a caricature, the latter a travesty 
Naturally, I understand what your original response to the thread was meant to achieve, no misunderstanding there. There’s also something else, though: just like Nebbiolo, most of the varieties you list can, and indeed often do, produce wines of notable complexity. But Tazzelenghe… come on
I like your approach 
Prunent, Picutener and Picotendro are also worthy candidates, I would submit
I’ve only had a couple of xinomavro’s and would really confuse it with nebbiolo. The color seems different, for one thing. To me, nebbiolo is a pretty unique grape in terms of aromatics combines with power and an austerity, and a lightness of color and that browning aspect to it on aged examples. I’m not sure what else really qualifies as a bio-similar?
The colour thing strikes me as a bit relative, though. I’ve definitely had Xinomavros that kind of look like Nebbiolo. All of Fountis, most Boutari, Markovitis (Pegasos), just off the top of my head.
I love the pelaverga made by Castello di Verduno. It retails for 25/30 bux. Their barbaresco is also quite good.
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Spanna and Chiavennasca are just the local names for Nebbiolo.
Nerello mascalese in Sicily is the most similar in my experience — the pale color, piercing aromatics, and tannins and acid.
I would never compare nebbiolo and aglianico. Tannin is the only thing they have in common. Aglianico is dark and dense, and the aromatics bear no resemblance to nebbiolo.