Special Report: Nebbiolo Prima 2023 Previews

Barolo DOCG 2019, Barolo Riserva DOCG 2017 and Retrospectives

By Michael Godel

What makes Barolo so special? We know of its great aging potential but how do we taste at an anteprima and decisively determine which will go the distance, while forecasting that others will presumably fail? What are the rules of qualification with so many intangibles involved? Well it begins, as it must, with location. The Langhe, plural form of Langa, a Piedmontese way of saying “a long and low-lying hill.” Reference to an area that lies to the south and east of the Tanaro River in the provinces of Cuneo and Asti. All of the Barolo growing area can described in a knowable and specific way, even if the morphology changes from north to south and west to east. Drawing a diagonal line from the northeast down to the southwest can define the two soil epochs of Barolo; from between Roddi and Grinzane through Castiglione Falletto down through Barolo and to Novello. This line will separate the epochs of soil, the Tortonian from the Serravallian, both of which were formed millions of years ago. The Barolo on either side will not be the same, that much we know to be true, but make no mistake. All nebbiolo raised and produced as Barolo need time in the bottle.

Nebbiolo in Alba, Piemonte

Try not to discriminate too much between the T and the S, the west and the east. They are all sisters and brothers, kin cut from similar cloth, of shared DNA and are always family. The western Tortonian soils of La Morra and Barolo may be less compact, more fertile and their Barolo needing less time to shed astringencies caused by formidable tannin. As a general rule Serralunga d’Alba, Monforte and Castiglione Falletto might hold more Serravallian cards with terroir that is dense and compressed, causing more structure, higher alcohol and body. In the end Barolo is Barolo. Concentrate more on the subtleties of the classified cru, not to choose the excellence of one over another but to seek understanding in the adjunctive mentions and the wines associated with each locality. Associated to each cru are the producers, of varying pedigrees and successes – here is where we the pursuers uncover the truth and heart of the Barolo matter.

Godello with the Sommeliers of Nebbiolo Prima 2023

Blind tasting adds a whole other dimension, but wines do not lie. Don’t we just feel it – when greatness is in the glass? Taste one, or several hundred examples over the course of just a few days – the learning curve is the same. There is certainty in knowing what it is to be a well-structured nebbiolo. The eponymous Barolo village lends its name though there are eleven (and their environs) that can make nebbiolo carrying the name: The others are La Morra, Monforte, Serralunga d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto, Novello, Grinzane Cavour, Verduno, Diano d’Alba, Cherasco and Roddi. These villages and their surrounding kingdoms play collective host to the profoundness of a grape married to place – forever bound, unfettered, undeterred and unbreakable. Nebbiolo and in turn Barolo are encapsulated by the soils, hills, winds and genius loci of the Langhe. Barolo owns the title of “Grand Italian Wine” and for good reason.

Nebbiolo Prima 2023

Barolo’s official DOC recognition happened in 1966 and in 1980 the DOCG followed. With each passing vintage the most common talking points and focus of both journalist and sommelier investigations has become individual vineyard names, a.k.a. sorì, cru or Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva (MGA). There are more than 100 officially recognized MGAs in Barolo. At the most recent Nebbiolo Prima 40 journalists from around the world tasted hundreds of Barolo, primarily by way of a sommelier-poured, blind-tasting setting. As it pertains to those daily sessions, the tastings were organized first by village and then cru from each of the 11 villages home to their own famous holdings. Launched in 1996 and in 2010 re-baptized as Nebbiolo Prima, this is the international preview of the new releases of Barolo, Barbaresco, and Roero.

In La Morra the MGAs include Arborina, Boiolo, Bricco Luciani, Brunate, Capalot, Casa Nere, Castagni, Cerequio, Gattera, Gianchi, La Serra, Marcenasco, Rocche dell’Annunziata, San Giacomo, Serradenari, Silio and Torriglione. Barolo’s are Albarella, Boschetti, Bricco delle Viole, Buon Padre, Cannubi, Castellero, Coste Di Vergne, Fossati, Monrobiolo Di Bussia and Sarmassa. In Castiglione Falletto there are Altenasso, Bricco Boschis, Brunella, Monprivato, Parussi, Pira, Rocche Di Castiglione, Scarrone and Villero. In Serralunga d’Alba the cru include Boscareto, Brea Vigna Ca’ Mia, Briccolina, Broglio, Cerretta, Gabutti, Gianetto, Lazzarito, Marenca, Margheria, Meriame, Ornato, Parafada, Prapò, Sorano and Vignarionda. Monforte d’Alba holds the vineyards of Bricco San Pietro, Bussia, Bussia Dardi Le Rose, Bussia Vigna Fantini, Castelletto, Castelletto Persiera, Castelletto Vigna Pressenda, Ginestra, Vigna Sorì Ginestra, Gramolere, Le Coste Di Monforte, Mosconi, Perno, Pressenda, Rocche Di Castelletto and Treturne. From Novello there are Panerole, Ravera and Sottocastello Di Novello. Verduno holds Monvigliero and San Lorenzo, Roddi is home to Bricco Ambrogio and Raviole is within Grinzane Cavour.

The 2019 vintage is a special one and though it has been described as “conventional,” were there an argument over its merits, well that might lead people to think someone is having a really bad week. When bright, effusive and fresh nebbiolo are conversely met with the hardened walls of formidable structure – could this be the making of a perfect storm? Pay deep attention to these wines and feel the enormity of passion, intuit some immediate gratification and realize great potential for longevity. These 2019s are Barolo with every bit of necessary stuffing to age, not unlike 2016 and yet so many examples are blessed with a piquancy of beautiful, pure and finessed fruit. Sure it can be a challenge to taste hundreds over a few days period of time but thank goodness these wines are filled with so much fruit. It was a pleasure and indeed a privilege to partake in tasting and assessing this vintage. The 200-plus tasting notes below tell the vintage story, or at least my interpretation of it.

With Anna Schneider

The opportunity to taste so many Barolo and pay visits with dozen of producers was made possible by the organization of Albeisa and the leadership of President Marina Marcarino. The Consorzio Albeisa was founded to promote the wines of the Alba area to the world. Twenty seven years of Nebbiolo Prima has acted as the official international preview for the nebbiolo of Barolo, Barbaresco, and Roero, “with the objective of heightening and promoting the winegrowing heritage of the Langhe and Roero, lands beloved and known throughout the world.” During this January week one of my life’s greatest pleasures was to meet and converse with Anna Schneider from the Instituto per la Protazione Sostenibile delle Piante ~ Schneider presented microvinicazione findings with ancient Piedmontese grape varieties from the Cantina Sperimentale for the Università di Torino, Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali e Alimentari dell’Università degli Studi di Torino and Albeisa Wines. Next order of business is to find funding so that Anna can build a certification program for heritage vineyards in Piemonte in a similar fashion to what Rosa Kruger has done with the Old Vine Project in South Africa. Though some farmers and producers will insist that nebbiolo no longer thrives after 40-plus years there are always exceptions to rules and also differences of opinion. Not to mention other grape varieties that do in fact succeed on their over forty old vines. There is life after 40 and Anna knows this.

This 27th edition of Nebbiolo Prima was a special one because it finally brought writers and producers back together in Alba. In 2021 and 2022 there were no anteprime for international guests. Keep in mind that not all producers participate in Nebbiolo Prima, for a myriad of reasons and so consider this report as a relevant snapshot of those that did. Return to these pages at a future time to seek out reporting on the nebbiolo of Barbaresco and Roero. As for Elio Altare, Azelia, Ceretto, Domenico Clerico, Elvio Cogno, Aldo Conterno, Giacomo Conterno, Corino, Gaja, Bruno Giacosa, Elio Grasso, Mascarello, Giuseppe Mascarello, Massolino, Alfredo Prunotto, Rivetto, Luciano Sandrone, Paolo Scavino, Mauro Sebaste, Aldo e Riccardo Seghesio, Mauro Veglio and Roberto Voerzio, here’s to looking forward to having visits with them and their wines. Alas my Barolo notes from Nebbiolo Prima are now transcribed and here for the taking. There are 229 reviews in total; 184 Barolo DOCG 2019, 19 Barolo Riserva DOCG 2017, 14 Barolo DOCG 2009, two Barolo Riserva DOCG 2007 and 10 assorted library wines.