PRUNOTTO | Barolo | 2017
nebbiolo

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Founded in 1905 as a winemaking co-op, today Prunotto is under the patronage of the famous Antinori family, who seeks to maintain the estate’s rich history, but more importantly the genuine character and elegance of the famous Barolo wines. Producing wines for more than a century, Prunotto is one of northern Italy’s most famous wineries. Nestled in Alba, in the heart of Langhe (Piemonte), halfway between the famous Barbaresco and Barolo, the Prunotto vineyards stretch throughout Langhe and Roero.

Today we are going to review a wine that blew us away from the first sip – Barolo 2017 by Prunotto. This wine is a true classic – a single-varietal nebbiolo wine from its homeland, the Piemonte region of northern Italy. Nebbiolo is a very old grape and one of Italy’s most important red grape varieties that produces the famous Barolo and Barbaresco wines in Piedmont, known for their pale color (as pale as pinot noir), delicate aromatics and grippy tannins. The name ‘nebbiolo‘ derives from italian ‘nebbia‘, which means ‘fog‘. It is possible that the name is related to the white, powder-like natural bloom found on the grape berries that appears during harvest season, or maybe it is related to the fact that the best nebbiolo sites are located high on the hills, above the fog line that covers the most of the vineyards in Piemonte. Along with its thin skins, there are other parallels with pinot noir, like for example that fact that nebbiolo is also incredibly difficult to grow and manage in the vineyard, as it flowers early, ripens late and can struggle to ripen fully in all but the sunniest sites. It also seems to prefer specific hillside locations and clay or silt-based soils. Another similarity to pinot noir, is that nebbiolo is also considered to be a “terroir-expressive” variety, in that it picks up more of the earth, soil and climate characteristics compared to other grape varieties, which means that it can taste wildly different, depending on where exactly it was grown. This particular wine is classified as a Barolo D.O.C.G., made of 100% nebbiolo grapes and signed by the famous Antinori family. In order to preserve those prized and delicate varietal characteristics of the nebbiolo grapes, the wine has been aged for at least 18 months in oak barrels of varying capacities and different toasting levels, allowing it to develop greater complexity and balance. That said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
colour: pale copper color
clarity: clear copper hues

//Olfactory
intensity: rich & earthy
fruit profile: red fruits
__red fruits: cranberry | redcurrant | goji berry | wolfberry | sour cherry | pomegranate skin
fruit character: unripe & ripe

//Flavor
non fruit: herbal | spice | oak | savory | earth
__herbal: wormwood | dried herbs | bay leaf | basil | tomato leaf
__spice: red pepper | anise | cloves | thyme
__oak: oaktree bark | sun-dried oak
__savory: brown olive | old leather | sweet potato | dried tomato
__earth: brick dust | clay | loam | marl | clay pot  | tar | hints of mushroom
primary layer: herbs & earth

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: medium+
tannin: high
__grip: fine
balance: good
__dominant: alcohol
body: ample | medium

//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits
fruit character: unripe & ripe
non fruit: herbs | earth | savory
finish: medium+
aftertaste: velvety-crisp

//Scoring
PRUNOTTO | Barolo | 2017
variety: nebbiolo
country: Italy
region: Piedmont | Barolo
rating: 94.1

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for 2 or 3 more years
verdict: great | a legendary wine

//Prediction
predicted RP rating: 90

//RP Rating
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This is definitely a great wine of Italy and, with a total of 94.1 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Verdict: this is a very fine and delicate nebbiolo wine that feels plump, ample and voluptuous, with a nuanced, earthy-herbal accent on the nose and a savory-rustic mouthfeel. The wine is still developing but quite close to the summit of its form, therefore we would recommend to drink it sooner rather than later (preferably within the next 2 or 3 years), as we firmly believe that it is always better to drink a wine a year too soon than a day too late. On the nose the wine delivers a pronounced, savory-earthy accent, mixed with notes of unripe and ripe red fruits, in the foreground, followed by very delicate, herbal notes in the background and a subtle, spicy-oaky layer in between the two. On the palate the wine displays bright, mouth-watering acidity, seedy but fine-grained tannins and a firm touch of alcoholic warmth that is showing through on the mouthfeel, all of which leads to a velvety-crisp aftertaste. All in all, this is a quite plush, noble and rustic nebbiolo wine, that feels harmonious and structured, with well preserved varietal characteristics of the nebbiolo grapes and a terroir-driven, rustic delicacy. This is definitely a wine that has both, its own distinctive personality and the footprint of the Barolo terroir. Taking into account the wine’s flavour profile and its delicacy, we believe it will pair lovely with any delicate meats, like for example Tournedos Rossini or peppercorn-crusted filet mignon with wild mushrooms. Enjoy!

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© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation.