On the Road with the Grape Guy
Nizza - Report 3: Prunotto
08 Sep 2025- Details
- Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
Decided to spend my birthday week of 2024 in Italy, in the cradle of Barbera ... Nizza Monferrato ... exploring the wines, the vineyards and the people who make these incredible expressions of Barbera in its purest form. Over the course of 4 days, I tasted my way through a number of Piedmontese wines - focusing in on what many have called a "simple wine" ... only to discover, it is far from that. This is my third of five reports (missed the two, check them out here Vinchio Vaglio - La Gironda):
PRUNOTTO
Wrapped my arms around Prunotto for the whole day today, as Emanuele Baldi invited me out to the tasting room in Bussia an hour from where I was staying. Then to lunch at Locanda del Bosco Grande to eat with the heavyweights of Nizza: Stefano Chiarlo (Michele Chiarlo) and Gianni Bertolino (Tenuta Olim Bauda) - the president and vice-president of the Nizza organization. I felt both honoured and privileged to talk Barbera with these gentlemen, pick their brains, and partake of their collective knowledge. Thank you.
Let's start with Prunotto's viewpoint. I tasted four Barbera wines: an Asti, an Alba, and two Nizza.
It was explained to me that the vineyards of Alba—the best vineyards, anyway—are dedicated to Nebbiolo. In Asti, the best vineyards are dedicated to Barbera; and this is where Nizza calls home.
Prunotto has what seems like "three vineyards" in Asti, two of which they make their Nizza wines in. The third, they make a Barbera d'Asti. But the entire vineyard is one plot—it's just broken down into three subplots.
Friulot... The location of which is both the very bottom and the very top of the rolling hill.
Bonsella... Located right in the middle of the vineyard.
Costamiole ... is the oldest top portion of the main vineyard.
THE WINES ...
2023 Fiulot - Barbera D'Asti (Barbera) - vineyards are south facing
Bright cherry with good acidity. Chillable. Ripe, smooth and easy to drink. Not complex, but with its medium length and light tannins this is perfect for everyday drinking. (*** ½+)
2022 Pian Romualdo - Barbera d'Alba (Barbera) - vineyards are north-west facing
6 months big oak casks. Lovely mix of red and dark fruit with subtle spice and good acidity: sour cherry lingers on the palate with a savoury note and then there is the medium-long finish. (****)
2022 Bansella - Nizza (Barbera) - these are "super" south facing & the best part of the vineyard
6 months small barrels. Black cherry, blackberry with a long finish and luxurious mouthfeel; slightly smoky-meat and savoury, but still retains plenty of the fruit. (****+)
Prunotto 2021 Costamiole - Nizza Riserva (Barbera)
12 months new barrique. Dark and smoky with tobacco and coffee, rugged and tannin rich. (*** ½+)
QUICK SIPS OF PRUNOTTO BAROLO (Nebbiolo) ...
2020 Bussia - Barolo (Nebbiolo)
18 months big cask - 36 months from Jan 1 (release). Floral and savoury with good acidity and length. (****)
2020 Cerretta - Barolo (Nebbiolo)
18 months big cask - 36 months from Jan 1 (release). Plenty of tension, subtle cherry, and nice spice. Good acidity and depth with some lovely floral and a great deal of intensity. (**** ½)
THE WINES WE HAD FOR LUNCH 
Michele Chiarlo 2013 La Court (Barbera D'Asti) Nizza
Prunotto 2015 Costamiole Riserva Nizza
Tenuta Olim Bauda 2019 Bauda Riserva Nizza
