Finally, last November I went, with my wife Sara, to the Langhe with friends from Turin to taste dishes based on white truffles and to visit the Castello di Verduno and Prunotto wineries.
The first destination was in Turin where my wife and I stayed overnight at the Hotel Principe di Piemonte. That same evening his friend Paolo Spiga had booked a table at the beautiful “Del Cambio” restaurant. The table was the one where Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour used to have lunch.
The dinner was impeccable and was accompanied by very pleasant wines: Nigl Gruner Veltriner 2018, Castell’In Villa Riserva 2010 and the red Mas de Daumas Gassac 2009. Beautiful cellar and period furnishings that have remained unchanged, so I was told given that I wasn’t born at that time.
The next morning we went to visit the beautiful Egyptian Museum in its renovated location. I had been to this museum many years ago and never before in its new structure. In the afternoon we headed with Alberto, Paolo and Viola to the Langhe to the usual hotel with a view of the vineyards, La locanda del Pilone, where Giovanna and Alberto’s company joined us in the evening and we had a pleasant dinner in the hotel.
The next day we went to the Castello di Verduno winery where we had a tasting of their wines in the company of the company’s good sommelier, Fabio Ceste, a passionate and competent person. The next day we went to Bussia to the Prunotto company where Gianluca Torrengo, oenologist and general manager of the company and Tiziana Gallo who takes care of the reception and tastings were waiting for us, who surprised us by making us do a vertical (multiple vintages of the same wine) of the Bussia Riserva Barolo from the first year of production which was 2008 to 2017. Gianluca told us that this was the first complete vertical he had done of this wine.
After this beautiful experience Gianluca and Tiziana hosted us for lunch in Priocca at the “Il Centro” restaurant to eat white truffles. This is a very famous restaurant because it is frequented by important producers and an international clientele.
We had a memorable lunch drinking Vigna Colonnello in the vintages we liked most during the tasting. Great day !
In the evening we rested in the hotel and the next day we took a tour of Monforte d’Alba to the “Caffè Rocca” restaurant where we found an incredible selection of Piedmontese wines and local food.
A wonderful trip thanks also to the pleasant company of these friends.
Before moving on to my tasting notes I must make the following clarifications.
Regarding the width of the tannin, it is important to make the following clarifications so that it can be understood. I feel the tannin of the wine on the upper gum. The total width of the tannin is 6/6, i.e. the entire width of the upper gum. Obviously, if the tannin is less broad, it could be for example 5/6 and so on. The width of the tannin is important when the quality of the tannin is of good or high level. The larger the tannin, the more the wine is worthy of attention, but the tannin, as I have specified, must, in any case, be of good quality.
Let’s now move on to describing the wines tasted.
My tasting notes for the wines mentioned above follow.
AZIENDA PRUNOTTO
Vigna Colonnello, 2017 vintage
Barolo D.O.C.G., Riserva Bussia
Bottles produced n. 5993.
Transparent garnet red with orange edge.
Pleasant sequence of aromas of straw, cherry, sacristy furniture (incense), mint, eucalyptus, star anise, black pepper, nutmeg, paint enamel, hints of cloves, boiled chestnut with dried wild fennel, blond Virginia tobacco , pear thigh, straw, rosemary, sage, bay leaves, earth, dried plum and chlorophyll.
Savory wine with a delicate and well-balanced medium body with freshness that completely envelops the alcoholic mass.
The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6+), initially silky and then slightly drying the upper gum.
Its flavor persistence is long with a cherry finish. (93/100)
AZIENDA PRUNOTTO
Vigna Colonnello, 2016 vintage
Barolo D.O.C.G., Riserva Bussia
Bottles produced n. 5690.
Transparent garnet red with orange edge.
The olfactory casket diffuses aromas of Marseille soap, intense aromas of natural tea, mint, eucalyptus, cherry, dried tomato straw, star anise, boiled milk cream, light lavender, India ink, string of licorice, thigh pear, sweet the outside of the dragee, dandelion or wild chicory also known as piscialetto flower, red apple, finishing with spicy puffs of black pepper, nutmeg and dried wild fennel.
Upon tasting it reveals a medium body and an excellent balance between alcohol and freshness. The tannins are sweet, broad (6/6-) initially silky and then slightly dry the upper gum in the end. Its intense aromatic persistence is long with a natural tea finish and a slight hint of lemon. (97/100)
AZIENDA PRUNOTTO
Vigna Colonnello, 2015 vintage
Barolo D.O.C.G., Riserva Bussia
Bottles produced n. 5,700
Transparent garnet red with orange-brick rim shines through the glass.
Olfactory debut with aromas of cherries in alcohol, liquorice string, Marseille soap, mint, eucalyptus, slight denatured alcohol, red apple, pear thigh, natural tea and rosemary.
On the palate there is a slightly sour note. The body is medium and the wine is savory and balanced between alcohol and freshness.
The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6++) initially velvety and then dry and burn the upper gum a little.
Its intense aromatic persistence is long. (92/100)
AZIENDA PRUNOTTO
Vigna Colonnello, 2014 vintage
Barolo D.O.C.G., Riserva Bussia
Bottles produced n. 5,820
Garnet red coat with orange edge.
Hints of diesel, peanuts, vegetal notes, black pepper, nutmeg, mint, eucalyptus, green pepper, natural tea to finish with whiffs of geranium.
The taste has a medium body that tends to go away. Wine that has rich acidity and a good balance between alcohol and freshness. The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6+), fine, initially velvety and then dry the upper gum a little (tannins a little green?).
Its taste persistence is long with a slightly green, geranium finish. Not an easy year, the tannins did not ripen perfectly. (90/100)
AZIENDA PRUNOTTO
Vigna Colonnello, 2013 vintage
Barolo D.O.C.G., Riserva Bussia
Bottles produced n. 5,204
Garnet red – brick color with orange edge.
Olfactory range composed of intense aromas of black olive, natural tea, saddle leather, straw, sliced yellow peach, mint, eucalyptus, blond Virginia tobacco, dried plum, chlorophyll, rubber and liquorice string.
The mouth reveals a medium body and a good balance between alcohol and freshness.
The tannins are sweet, broad (6/6–) initially velvety and then dry and cause the upper gum to burn slightly. Its taste persistence is long with a slightly bitter finish.
On the nose I initially noticed a note of oxidation which then faded away.
(91/100)
AZIENDA PRUNOTTO
Vigna Colonnello, 2012 vintage
Barolo D.O.C.G., Riserva Bussia
Bottles produced n. 5,190
A transparent garnet-orange-brown red emerges from the glass.
Aromatic hint of cherry, natural tea, light herbaceous geranium, mint, eucalyptus, light black pepper, nutmeg, cotton fabric starch, peanut, ripe yellow peach, starch (starch spray for ironing) to finish with hints of hairspray hair.
Savory wine with medium body and crushed grape seed flavour. Good balance between alcohol and freshness.
The tannins are sweet, broad (6/6-) and velvety. Its taste persistence is long with a slightly bitter finish. Savory wine with beautiful freshness. (92/100)
AZIENDA PRUNOTTO
Vigna Colonnello, 2011 vintage
Barolo D.O.C.G., Riserva Bussia
Bottles produced n. 5,676
Brick red dress.
From the glass spread aromas of crushed grape seed, starch from cotton fabric, chinotto, dried plum, hay, chlorophyll, dried porcini mushroom, mint, eucalyptus, camphor, ripe red peach, hints of dried date, string of licorice, cherry in alcohol for finish with pinches of carob.
On the palate it has a medium body and thanks to a pleasant freshness it is well balanced with the completely silent alcoholic mass. The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6++), initially velvety and then dry and cause the upper gum to burn slightly. Its taste persistence is long with a touch of carob at the end. (92/100)
AZIENDA PRUNOTTO
Vigna Colonnello, 2010 vintage
Barolo D.O.C.G., Riserva Bussia
Bottles produced n. 5.143
Light brick colour, transparent with orange edge.
The nose features an intense aroma of peanuts followed by mint, eucalyptus, starch from the cotton fabric, rosemary, bay leaf, sage, juniper berry, almond shell, “Valda” tablet, licorice, black pepper, and nutmeg.
Palate enchanted by the flavor of black truffle. Savory, tasty wine with a perfect balance between alcohol and freshness.
The tannins are sweet, broad (6/6–), initially velvety and then dry and cause the upper gum to burn slightly. Its intense aromatic persistence is long with a black truffle finish. (95/100)
AZIENDA PRUNOTTO
Vigna Colonnello, 2009 vintage
Barolo D.O.C.G., Riserva Bussia
Bottles produced n. 4,965
Transparent brick red dress with orange edge.
The nose is rich and varied with aromas of chinotto, mint, eucalyptus, slight aromas of meat ragout, rosemary and slight aromas of dried dates, and naphthalene. The olfactory journey continues with notes of humus, slightly green stem, dead leaves, ripe jujube, ending with whispers of dried white fig.
The body is medium and the wine has a good balance between alcohol and freshness.
The tannins are sweet, broad (6/6-) initially velvety and then very dry on the upper gum as if the tannins were green.
Its taste persistence is long. (92/100)
AZIENDA PRUNOTTO
Vigna Colonnello, 2008 vintage
Barolo D.O.C.G., Riserva Bussia
Bottles produced n. 5,093
It has a transparent brick red appearance that is a little more intense than other vintages.
It expresses a beautiful interpenetration of aromas among which sweet notes stand out that recall the outside of the candy and the “Clan” pipe tobacco. Followed by hints of black pepper, nutmeg, chocolate, slight hints of denatured alcohol, cherry in spirit, hints of camphor, mint, eucalyptus, finishing with whispers of dried dates.
On the palate it has a medium body and a dry date flavour. The wine is perfectly balanced between alcohol and freshness, the latter completely covering the alcoholic mass.
The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6+) and velvety.
Its intense aromatic persistence is long with a dried plum finish.
Pleasant wine, thanks also to its generous freshness. (93/100)
CASTELLO DI VERDUNO
Verduno D.O.C.G., Basadone, annata 2022
(Grapes: 100% Pelaverga piccolo)
The name Basadone indicates in dialect the flower, the poppy which is on the label. Wine only makes steel. 24,000 bottles produced.
The producers of this D.O.C. there are 11 of them and their total production is around 150,000 bottles per year.
Pale ruby red colour.
Intense notes of chocolate emerge on the nose followed by starch from the cotton fabric, black pepper, nutmeg, earth, sage, bay leaf, cocoa butter, finishing with sweet puffs from the outside of the dragee.
Upon tasting it reveals a fairly sufficient medium body. Wine well balanced between alcohol and freshness while the tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6–) initially silky and then
dry the upper gum a little.
Its taste persistence is long. (87/100)
CASTELLO DI VERDUNO
Barbaresco D.O.C.G., Rabaja, 2018 vintage
The vines are old and their exposure is south-west. The maceration is long and in wooden vats with a submerged cap.
Garnet red dress.
Sweet hints of cocoa butter followed by black pepper, nutmeg, starch from the cotton fabric, black truffle, red apple, cherry, red rose, sacristy furniture (incense), plum to finish with reminiscences of rhubarb root.
Upon tasting it reveals a medium body and has a good balance between alcohol and freshness.
The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6–) initially velvety and then dry the upper gum a little and become a little rough. Its flavor persistence is long with a finish of rhubarb root and pomegranate. (90/100)
CASTELLO DI VERDUNO
Barolo D.O.C.G., MASSARA, 2018 vintage
This wine is produced by only three producers.
The vineyard faces south-east and winemaking takes place in the traditional way.
It shines garnet red.
Olfactory onset of aromas of red hairy peach, mint, eucalyptus, sweets from the outside of the candy, cherry, earth, starch from the cotton fabric, violet and slight hints of acetic acid.
Savory, mineral wine, with medium body and a light flavor of acetic acid.
Fairly balanced wine with a nice freshness. The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6–) initially a little rough on the upper gum and then make it burn a little.
It has a generous freshness and a long tasting persistence. (89/100)
CASTELLO DI VERDUNO
Barolo D.O.C.G., Monvigliero Riserva, 2018 vintage
The Monvigliero hill is completely exposed to the south.
Transparent garnet red.
Olfactory mix made of scents of mint, eucalyptus, Mon Chery chocolate, red apple, earth, black pepper, nutmeg, starch from cotton fabric, starch from boiled rice to finish with puffs of blond leather (it’s the fresh one).
Upon tasting it shows a medium body and a good taste balance with freshness completely dominating the alcoholic mass. The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6) initially silky and then dry the upper gum a little.
Its intense aromatic persistence is long with a cherry and plum finish.
(92/100)
CASTELLO DI VERDUNO
Barbaresco D.O.C.G., Rabaja reserve, 2006 vintage
The grapes are selected and come from the highest part of the vineyard.
Fairly intense but always transparent garnet red coat.
Appetizing olfactory prelude of plum, black pepper, light nutmeg, old wood, cherry, ripe plum, almond shell, LPG gas to finish with caresses of Coccoina glue (coconut and almond milk).
Pleasant, tasty sip reminiscent of plum. The wine has a medium body and is well balanced between alcohol and freshness. The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6), initially silky and then dry the upper gum a little. Its taste persistence is long with a plum flavour. (92/100)
