The historic Langhe area is located in southern Piedmont between the provinces of Cuneo and Asti in one of the most beautiful and captivating winemaking areas in Italy.
Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto are the three most important grape varieties grown in The Lange territory.
Vineyard management in The Langhe requires that producers prune vines with the single Guyot pruning system, mandatory for Barolo and Barbaresco.
Climatic conditions can be described as Appennine with influences from the Po Valley: hot summers and cold winters in the valleys where temperatures often fall below zero. Despite its proximity to the sea, winters in The Langhe are cold and annual snowfall levels vary from 50 to 100 centimeters.
Barolo is considered the wine of kings and the king of wines, and is the most noble and powerful expression of the Nebbiolo variety.
With such an incredible history it was with great excitement that a groupd of wine lovers and wine buyers gathered at Vessel in Victoria to meet Emanuele Baldi, Prunotto Brand Manager and taste a sampling of their wines.
Finesse, Elegance, Grace
Here is what we tasted:
Prunotto Barolo DOCG 2022
100% Nebbiolo
The 2022 Barolo displays a garnet-red color with ruby highlights. On the nose, it is complex and expansive, offering notes of rose petals, red fruit, and spices. On the palate, it is full-bodied and well-balanced, with elegant, silky, and sweet tannins. The finish is rich and persistent.
The 2022 vintage was early and remarkable. Early, because harvest operations concluded at the beginning of October; remarkable, because despite an unusual seasonal trend, the vines demonstrated extraordinary adaptability.
Dry and mild conditions were recorded as early as winter and continued throughout the entire vegetative cycle. The lack of significant precipitation and higher-than-average temperatures during June and July prompted the vines to self-regulate, limiting vegetative development and producing smaller clusters.
The wine was somewhat lighter than what I expected but the wine inside the glass was absolutely delicious, ripe and flavourful with essence of cherries. Aromatic with scents of sour cherry. Smooth, rich and savoury. A slightly lighter body.
Prunotto Bussia Barolo DOCG 2021
100% Nebbiolo
Barolo Bussia 2021 is bright, lively garnet red in color with ruby red hues. The nose offers notes of blood oranges and plums that accompany floral aromas of roses and violets, spicy hints of pepper, cinnamon and forest floor. The palate is intense and juicy with supple tannins. Outstanding freshness leads to a persistent finish with rich fruity notes and hints of aromatic herbs.
In this context, the grapes achieved optimal ripeness with perfect health, smaller-than-usual berries, and high sugar concentration. The grape harvest began on September 19th and ended on October 3rd.
The 2021 growing season began with mild winter weather but periods of precipitation and even some snowfall affected the area guaranteeing excellent groundwater reserves. Vine growth started right on schedule but light, localized frost events halfway through April caused lower yields but did not have any adverse effects on the quality of the fruit. The arrival of spring brought a long stretch of beautiful weather that lasted throughout summer with average seasonal temperatures that were uninterrupted by extreme heat events. June and July saw occasional summer storms. At harvest time, optimal temperature swings between day and night allowed the grapes to achieve optimal ripeness and excellent balance between sugar levels, freshness, and polyphenolic maturity. The grape harvest began on September 29th and was completed on October 13th, 2021.
A heavenly rich wine that also exposes some leanness, a perfect mix. Very nice cherry and fruitiness. Excellent, hints of spice and tobacco. More flavourful than the 2022.
Prunotto Cerretta Barolo DOCG 2020
100% Nebbiolo
Barolo Cerretta is an intense garnet red color with ruby hues. The nose is complex with rich floral aromas of roses and violets and hints of spices especially white pepper and nutmeg. The palate is bold with character, defined by prominent tannins that impart a long persistent finish that echoes flavors of red fruit and licorice.
The 2020 growing season began with normal winter weather, mild temperatures and limited precipitation. The first half of spring was relatively dry and sunny that guaranteed early and even vine growth. May and June brought generous precipitation that slowed down vine development causing the vines to lose the head start acquired at the beginning of spring. However, the rain showers provided beneficial groundwater reserves that, together with moderate summer temperatures, prevented water stress in the vineyards. Periodic cluster thinning balanced the crop load per vine and helped increase optimal sugar concentration levels. Excellent climatic conditions during September, with significant temperature swings between day/night, ensured an ideal ripening phase. The grape harvest took place on October 5th.
This wine showed more restraint. Lighter in body and has less impact than what I expected.
Prunotto Mosconi Barolo DOCG 2019
100% Nebbiolo
Barolo Mosconi is a vibrant and intense garnet red color. The nose delivers notes of sage, rosemary, and forest floor accompanied by hints of flowers and spices. The palate is generous and elegant, defined by an important tannic structure. Barolo Mosconi closes with a long, persistent finish.
Despite several snow events and very limited rainfall, winter 2019 saw temperatures that were higher than seasonal averages prompting early vine growth especially in those vineyards with the most favorable sunlight exposure.
The month of April until the end of May brought cold temperatures and rain showers that affected flowering, reducing the number of berries per cluster resulting in lower yields. June delivered a hot, dry weather which was followed by precipitation during the last half of July. Optimal day/night temperature swings in August and frequent cluster thinning in the vineyards preserved whole, healthy fruit. September began with a period of brief yet intense rainstorms that gave way to higher temperatures and clear sunny skies until mid-October.
This wasn’t an easy vintage, with an extended harvest window and limited yields however, the grapes were of impeccable quality. The grape harvest took place on October 10th.
The wine is light but very nice. Not surprising this was of the higher quality. 2019 was a cooler year.
Floral less Fruity
Prunotto 2021 Barbera d’Alba DOC
100% Barbera
Prunotto’s Barbera d’Alba is ruby red with purple highlights. Grapey on the nose with fresh floral aromas of roses that blend with hints of ripe fruit and spicy notes. The palate is full and balanced.
The 2021 growing season started with mild winter weather however, there were abundant rain showers, even some snowfall, that provided excellent ground water reserves.
The vines’ growth cycle began right on schedule, but in mid-April, light localized frost events resulted in a reduction in overall yields without causing any adverse effects on the quality of the fruit. Springtime brought a long stretch of beautiful weather that lasted throughout the summer months. Summer brought temperatures that were consistent with seasonal averages, never excessive, and scattered storms in June and July.
Ideal temperature swings during harvest time allowed the grapes to reach an optimal ripening phase and achieve good balance in sugar levels, freshness, and phenolic compounds. Harvesting took place between September 14th , 2021 and October 2nd, 2021.
Light but very flavourful. Dusty scents with dark, ripe fruit. Well integrated smooth tannins. Some spice on the finish. Very fruity, expressive quality. Dark cherry, blackberry and tobacco notes.
Prunotto Bansella Barbera d’Alba Nizza DOCG 2023
100% Barbera
Bansella is an intense ruby red color with dark hues. On the nose, rich aromas of plums meet notes of violets, cocoa and licorice. The palate is full-bodied, harmonious and supple with a fresh finish sustained by bright acidity. The wine closes with a long persistent finish.
Overall, the 2023 growing season was defined by hot dry weather that persisted until mid-May when abundant precipitation impacted the area, especially heavy in the area around Alba.
Temperatures returned to normal levels at the beginning of July and were accompanied by several summer storms. These climatic conditions resulted in lower yields but did not adversely affect the future quality or ripening phase of the fruit.
The grape harvest for Bansella Nizza began on September 5th and was completed September 22nd.
Ripe, rich, old world with restraint. Deep, deeper than the 2021, excellent. Almost no tannin. Sour cooking cherry and dusty rose. More strength and finesse. Tobacco, less spice. A lingering finish. The wine is more complex. Very good. This was my favourite of the wines.
Prunotto Barbaresco DOCG 2023
100% Barbera
Barbaresco 2023 is an intense garnet red color. The nose is complex, offering notes of wild berries, spices, and aromatic herbs, followed by hints of sweet tobacco, licorice, black pepper, and delicate balsamic nuances. The palate is velvety, harmonious, and elegant, with a long, persistent finish.
The 2023 growing season was characterized by generally warm, dry conditions until mid-May, when abundant rainfall arrived, particularly intense in the Alba area of the Langhe.
Beginning in July, temperatures returned to seasonal averages, and several summer storms were recorded. These factors further reduced yields but did not affect grape quality or ripening.
The grape harvest began on October 2nd and was completed on October 12th.
Opening with very dusty rose notes, a lighter colour. Deliciously flavourful, almost sweetish but also mellow. The scents are heavenly with fresh fruit, plum, raspberry. Lighter bodied and delicious. Showing its finesse. The lightest colour.
Prunotto Secondine Barbaresco DOCG 2020
100% Barbera
Secondine 2020 is clear bright red with ruby highlights. The nose is generous, intense, and seductive: floral aromas of violets and roses combine with hints of red fruit especially raspberries and strawberries. The palate is pleasant, delicate with good balance between body and freshness and is defined by elegant supple tannins.
The 2020 winter season began with mild temperatures and limited precipitation without any particularly critical weather events. The first half of spring was relatively dry and sunny that led to early and even vegetative growth. The months of May and June brought a considerable number of rainy days that slowed down vine development, losing the head start achieved in spring. These climatic conditions provided beneficial groundwater reserves and, together with moderate summer temperatures, prevented water stress in the vineyards. Regular cluster thinning adjusted the crop load per vine to encourage the accumulation of optimal sugar levels. Excellent climatic conditions persisted throughout September, with significant fluctuations between day and night temperatures, that guaranteed an ideal ripening phase. The grape harvest took place on September 29th.
This was the leanest of the wines with medium tannins. Some sour cherry. Slightly darker in the glass.
Over a Century in The Langhe
Cantina Sociale “Ai Vini delle Langhe”, a winemaking co-op, was incorporated in 1904 in the city council room of Serralunga’s Town Hall presided by Mr. Giacomo Oddero, a notary public and a youthful Alfredo Prunotto as a witness.
The first harvest took place in 1905.
On the deadline for renewal of the Cantina Social’s by-laws in 1922, many of its members changed their minds and no longer delivered their grapes to the co-op. The vintage was exceptional but was not abundant.
The winery began to have serious financial difficulties and was put into liquidation. In the middle of this predicament, Alfredo Prunotto met and married Luigina. Together they decided to take over the “Ai Vini delle Langhe” co-op and gave it their name.
The Antinori family first became involved with the Prunotto winery in 1989
The winery’s production philosophy, always extremely attentive to details and deeply passionate about wine, brought Prunotto and the Antinori family together to face a new challenge: to explore and develop the potential of this new terroir where both local and international varieties can express the area’s remarkable territorial identity.
In 1990 this project took shape when Albiera Antinori, Marchese Piero Antinori’s eldest daughter, further defined the winery’s personality by concentrating on the vineyards: the first was the Bussia vineyard, one of the most prestigious in the Barolo area followed by Costamiòle in Agliano to produce Nizza, and land in Calliano for research and development for introducing vines new to this area such as Albarossa and Syrah.
The estate covers an area of approximately 74 hectares (183 acres) with vineyards in the very best wine producing zones in the region. Careful, attentive vineyard management is the most important fundamental value in winemaking. Only top quality grapes can produce great wines that are able to express the grape variety’s personality and territorial identity. The winery represents the perfect balance between tradition and innovation using state-of-the-art technology to express and interpret the many nuances of this historic winemaking territory.
Prunotto history. For more information, see the website.
History and winery information, tasting and climate notes all courtesy of the winery. My notes (in italics). Images MyVanCity With thanks to Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits for the opportunity.