Back in early December, I traveled to Alba to join an international group of journalists for the 30th edition of Nebbiolo Prima. Since 1996, Nebbiolo Prima has been a prestigious tasting of new vintages prior to release, hosted by the Consorzio Albeisa, an association of 318 wineries, with almost every notable producer in the Langhe (Barolo and Barbaresco) and Roero as members.
Over three days, 275 wines were tasted blind, mostly from the 2022 and 2023 vintages, with some 2021 and 2020, and ending with 2010–13. During the introduction, the Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani and the Consorzio Tutela Roero presented figures on total land under vine, grape varieties, and exports. Conspicuously, both the vineyard area and the number of bottles produced designated as Langhe have nearly doubled over the past decade. To contrast, over the past four years, the global wine industry has faced a markedly slower rate of sales, which has exacerbated an excess of inventory at producers, importers, and throughout sales channels. A strategy to progressively increase the presence of Langhe-designated wines for export markets during a difficult period for the global wine industry is a gamble. However, the US receives 18.7% and 19% of the total Barolo and Barbaresco exported, respectively, the highest volume from either DOCG to a single market, by far. These figures may help explain why this gamble has looked like a good bet.
During the tasting, it quickly became clear that, while sommeliers often compare Nebbiolo to Pinot Noir, the differences between the two varieties were apparent, tannic structure the most prominent. Christy Canterbury MW has noted: “[Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo are] both über-aromatic, graceful and pale-colored, but straight Nebbiolo is not without tannin and racy acidity to reinforce that tannin. Nebbiolo tends to be a wine enthusiast’s wine. Pinot Noir is more even-keeled structure-wise.” My repeated observations have supported this. For example, at en primeur tastings, even with Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-St-Georges, Corton, and Pommard, Burgundy’s most massive wines, the tannins of Pinot Noir are markedly less forcible and four-square than Nebbiolo. Along with Sangiovese, Tempranillo, and Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo is one of the few varieties that can best transmit minute differences in terroir. As per Consorzio figures, at 37%, Nebbiolo is the most planted grape in the Langhe. In addition to being much of the region’s identity, one reason Nebbiolo has been so widely planted is that it’s more resistant to diseases than Barbera, Dolcetto, and other varieties.
Overall, many wines showed well, with very good to excellent quality, but I was a bit surprised at the variability in the range of quality from wine to wine, as were some of my colleagues. Some wines were excellent, while others showed extremely poorly. I suspect this amplitude was partly because of recent bottling. Additionally, our tasting sheets noted that some wines were barrel samples. Most of the wines that I rated poorly showed high volatile acidity, specifically acetone/nail polish remover/shoe polish, not all of which were barrel samples. There were more than a few of these, across the regions, communes, and vintages. Conversely, some barrel samples I rated as excellent. Typicity was unmistakable, which I found reassuring. Each comune di origine, (La Morra, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba) showed a distinct set of characters, this was also apparent for MGA (Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva) or cru. Several times, after tasting a wine, the tasting sheet confirmed that my glass had aroma and flavor characters which indicated a distinct place of origin.
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The Complex 2023 Vintage: Resilient, surprising, and rewarding
Many winemakers regard 2023, though relatively dry, as a very good vintage for overall balance, acidity, and structure, if not “five stars” like 2021, the recent vintage it’s closer to. From La Morra comune in Barolo DOCG, winemaker Michele Bergadano described, “In general, 2023 was a blend of 2020 and 2021. The power, acidity, strong tannins [of ‘21] and the [approachable, friendly aromas and flavors of ’20, which was] energetic, intense, super adorable [with] freshness, [softness] and drinkability. In 2023, the climate was a little colder and a bit rainier than 2022. [Frequent] summer storms helped keep temperatures more balanced. 2023 is considered a dry vintage because we had a warm winter, good quantity of rain in May, then no rain until the end of August. Rain during the last week of August helped the grapes keep acidity and freshness.”
Roero 2023 wines were very good to excellent. Recently more visible in the US market, Roero wines are not nearly as present as Barolo or Barbaresco, but total production is much lower, as well. As with reds from the Loire, Austria and Galicia in northwest Spain, neither heavy nor “hot” with alcohol, Roero wines are agile and gastronomic, with bright acidity, and fresh, red berry, alpine characters. Lithe and nimble Nebbiolos, Roero wines are versatile with a range of foods.
Most Barbaresco 2023s were very good to excellent (Treiso and Neive comunes) with only a handful that showed poorly. Conversely, within Barbaresco comune, many wines seemed disjointed and out of balance. The Piu Comuni-designated (made from vineyards in two or more comunes) wines showed well. Roero 2022 Riservas and Barbaresco 2021 Riservas were largely disappointing and perplexing, given the expectations of my fellow journalists and myself. Similarly, the Barolo 2020 Riservas were a mixed bag, with a handful of wines good or better among ten wines that showed poorly. This group left me wondering if some wines simply weren’t ready to taste and/or if provenance was an issue.
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Excellent Wines – Barbaresco DOCG 2023 (with comune and MGA, if applicable)
Cascina Luisin Neive Basarin
Oddero Poderi e Cantine Neive Gallina
Az. Agr. Pietro Rinaldi Neive San Cristoforo
Collina Serragrilli Neive Serragrilli
Collina Serragrilli Neive Starderi
Cantina Flori Più Comuni
Cantina Gabriele Morra Più Comuni
Società Agricola Mura Mura Più Comuni ‘Iago’ barrel sample
The Difficult 2022 Vintage: How vines adapt, and vineyards work
The Barolo 2022s showed surprising quality, given that the growing season was extremely hot and dry, with no rain from May to November, and only a fraction of the normal total for the year. The Consorzio and numerous winemakers maintain that the Nebbiolo vines have showed a capacity to adapt to extreme conditions. In Barbaresco, Produttori del Barbaresco’s Managing Director Aldo Vacca elaborated, “The vines adjusted to this lack of water, and simply produced less leaves.” Lacking optimal phenolic ripeness, the wines had tannins with a coarser texture, more present at the front of the palate, often the case in dryer vintages. However, the 2022s showed very good quality even if the overall aging potential isn’t perceived as on par with 2021.
Emanuela Bolla is enologist at Fratelli Serio & Battista Borgogno, just outside the town of Barolo, atop the famed Cannubi MGA. She observed: “From 2022 onwards we had to completely rethink our approach, taking nothing for granted. There has been a steady increase in higher temperatures and a scarcity of rainfall. In 2022 and 2023, canopy management was essential: conscious work made all the difference. Grape quality was largely determined by canopy management and green harvest—poor management often led to early ripening and overly-evolved wines, good management enhanced [richness] and fruit while maintaining good freshness. 2022 was an excellent ‘mental training ground,’ useful for subsequent vintages.”
Andréa Delpiano, head enologist at Giovanni Rosso in Serralunga d’Alba, noted that his team did extensive green harvests to lessen the burden on stressed vines, “2022 was a nice surprise for us, because just after harvest, we were very afraid about the vintage because it was very, very warm. But the evolution through vinification, the tannins that were a little green in some vineyards, where the maturation was not completely perfect. During the aging of the wine, the green tannins evolved [to become] rounded. Now, we’re very happy with the wines.”
Very Good Wines – Barolo DOCG 2022 (with comune and MGA, if applicable)
Bel Colle Verduno Monvigliero
Azienda Agricola Diego Morra Verduno Monvigliero
Vietti Srl Barolo Verduno Monvigliero
Alario Claudio Verduno Riva Rocca
Az. Agr. Diego Morra Verduno San Lorenzo di Verduno
Az. Agr. Daniele Pelassa Verduno San Lorenzo di Verduno
Az. Agr. Negretti Roddi Bricco Ambrogio
Olivero Mario Roddi Bricco Ambrogio
Az. Agr. Malvirà dei F.lli Damonte La Morra Boiolo
Az. Agr. Alberto Ballarin La Morra Bricco Rocca
Mario Marengo La Morra Brunate
Francesco Rinaldi e Figli La Morra Rocche Dell’Annunziata barrel sample
Az. Agr. Sordo Giovanni Castiglione Falletto Rocche di Castiglione
Arnaldo Rivera Castiglione Falletto Villero
Oddero Poderi e Cantine Castiglione Falletto Villero
G.D. Vajra Barolo Baudana
Giacomo Borgogno e Figli Barolo Cannubi
Marchesi di Barolo Barolo Cannubi
Brezza Giacomo e Figli dal 1885 Barolo Sarmassa
Marengo Mauro Barolo Più Comuni ‘Angela’
Azienda Ghëddo Barolo Più Comuni
Agr. F.lli Broccardo Monforte d’Alba Bricco San Pietro
Cascina Sot di Sanso Maurizio Monforte d’Alba Bricco San Pietro
Diego Pressenda Monforte d’Alba Bricco San Pietro
Barale F.lli Monforte d’Alba Bussia barrel sample
Castello di Perno Monforte d’Alba
Diego Conterno Monforte d’Alba
Cantina Bruna Grimaldi Serralunga d’Alba Badarina
Az. Agr. Schiavenza Serralunga d’Alba Cerretta barrel sample
Cà Romè Serralunga d’Alba Cerretta
Prunotto Serralunga d’Alba Cerretta
Giovanni Rosso Serralunga d’Alba Cerretta
Réva Serralunga d’Alba Cerretta
Garesio Soc. Sempl. Agr. Serralunga d’Alba Gianetto
Serralunga Casa Mia-Luigi Vico Serralunga d’Alba Prapò
Giovanni Rosso Serralunga d’Alba Serra
Soc. Agr. Mura Mura Serralunga d’Alba Sorano barrel sample
Az. Agr. Diego Rivetti Serralunga d’Alba
Az. Agr. Manzone Gian Paolo Serralunga d’Alba
Serralunga Casa Mia-Luigi Vico Serralunga d’Alba
Tenuta Rocca Serralunga d’Alba
2021: An excellent vintage in every respect
At this relatively early stage, winemakers view 2021 as the best vintage of this decade, by a good measure. Aldo Vacca enthused, “It was kind of a perfect vintage for Barbaresco and for Piedmont in general, when everything goes well from day one to harvest time. Climate-wise, it was perfect: warm, but not too warm, and the right amount of rain at the right time, perfect flowering. A relatively large crop of exceptional quality, most important, at the beginning of September, we had a change in climate. All of September was like summertime during the day, but more like fall at night, and this big night and day temperature difference really helped the final ripening of Nebbiolo. The ‘21s reached this extra power, an intense fruit character, thanks to this. There’s a kind of richness in the fruit, almost a sweetness, something that normally you don’t have in young Nebbiolo, this also helped the tannins ripen very well. Powerful tannins, with good grip, but not aggressive. You can enjoy the wines young, but they definitely have a good aging potential, as well.”
Excellent Wines – Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2021(with comune and MGA, if applicable)
Az. Agr. Mustela Treiso Meruzzano ‘Ultimo degli Onesti’ barrel sample
Az. Agr. Ada Nada Treiso Rombone ‘Cichin’
Az. Agr. Manera Alba Rizzi barrel sample
Excellent Wines – Barolo Riserva 2000
Rocche Costamagna La Morra Rocche dell’Annunziata
Tenuta Cavallotto Castiglione Falletto Bricco Boschis barrel sample
Giacosa Fratelli Castiglione Falletto Scarrone ‘Vigna Mandorlo’
Cascina Rocca Castiglione Falletto Villero
Az. Agr. Bergadano Barolo Sarmassa
Az. Vin. Palladino Serralunga d’Alba San Bernardo
The Ten-Year Retrospective wines were somewhat disappointing, and some journalists felt the same way. The wines exhibited the variability in quality noted earlier, particularly the Roero 2012 and Roero Riserva 2013s, which did not show well. However, I felt that 12 wines out of 28 were excellent.
Excellent Wines – Ten-Year Retrospective
Albino Rocca Barbaresco DOCG 2013 Barbaresco Ronchi
Floral, fine, elegant aromas, very evolved, but young fruit on palate, very attractive. Has another decade ahead, maybe twice that, before it shows its best. Incredible!
Cascina Luisin Barbaresco DOCG 2013 Barbaresco Rabaja
Aromas show evolved red fruits SO2 and salt, on palate red fruits are super packed, tightly coiled, with secondary flavors, this has a long way to go. Excellent.
Orlando Abrigo Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 Treiso Rongalio
Overall, a brooding, dark berry aspect to aromas and palate flavors, precise and delineated fruit on the palate. Acidity helps terrific presence.
Nada Giuseppe Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 Treiso
Expansive, mature red fruit aromas and palate flavors, with notes of caramel and coffee. On the palate, tannic structure and acidity are beautifully integrated. One of the best wines of the entire tasting.
Punset Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2011 Nieve Basarin
showed some oxidized, ripe, warm fruit along with nicely austere structure and terrific freshness. Excellent.
Fontanafredda Barolo DOCG 2012 Serralunga d’Alba Fontanafredda MGA ‘Vigna La Rosa’
Shows toasty oak, black earth, very integrated on palate, ripe, slightly oxidized, powerful fruit, shaped by bracing acidity. Will age for a much longer time. A young wine?! Excellent.
Az. Vin. Palladino Barolo DOCG 2012 Serralunga d’Alba Ornato
Red fruit aromas/flavors are monolithic yet packed with freshness. A youthful yet mature wine with incredible presence. It will be interesting to see this wine in ten years.
Az. Agr. Manzone Gian Paolo Barolo DOCG 2012 Serralunga d’Alba
Red fruit aromas are evolved (secondary & tertiary), with baked/roasted characters, with cranberry and forest berry tartness on palate, super juicy, with a bit of heat but keeps balance.
Agr. Gian Piero Marrone Barolo DOCG 2012 Monforte d’Alba Bussia
Mature red and dark berry fruits, complex, a hint of saline, degraded sulfur and fine texture on the palate.
Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo DOCG 2012 Barolo Liste
Fruit is profound, quiet, powerful, a tad chunky on palate but excellent overall.
Marchesi di Barolo Barolo DOCG 2012 Barolo Sarmassa
‘Edizione Limitata 10 Anni’
Rich, ripe, mature, with a touch of heat on palate but great freshness, presence and grip. Texture and weight are very pretty, if not beautiful.
Pecchenino Soc. Agr. Barolo DOCG 2012 Monforte d’Alba Le Coste di Monforte MGA
Fresh, airy, expressive aromas, extremely youthful and tight. Will evolve over many years and get better. Outstanding!
I tasted some outstanding wines outside the event:
Giovanni Rosso Barolo DOCG 2021 Serralunga d’Alba Cerretta
Giovanni Rosso Barolo DOCG 2021 Serralunga d’Alba Serra
Az. Agr. Bergadano Barolo DOCG 2020
Over the past few years, Langhe-designated Nebbiolo wines have had a greater market presence and overall profile in the US. Currently, at a time that some winemakers call “a crisis” for the global wine industry, the Langhe and Roero producer associations have wagered that the benefits outweigh the risks vis-à-vis the US market’s long-term potential for growth. Not volumetric “value wines,” Langhe-designated wines have emerged as quality wines of place made in relatively low quantities by small family wineries, in many respects like wines from Burgundy, the Rhône, and Napa/Sonoma, but at significantly lower prices. There’s a similar correlation with the step up to Barolo/Barbaresco/Roero wines—and to higher-level MGA or cru wines—which have compelling quality for price versus comparable wines from the other top regions in the world. Nebbiolo has great facility to convey its place of origin, an ability to adapt, and growers who’ve learned to implement intentional work to help the vines cope with extreme conditions. A bright future for the global wine industry may be far from a sure thing, but the smart money is on Nebbiolo, the Langhe and Roero vineyards, and the families who work the vines.
