2017 will be remembered for its small crops of small, thick- skinned berries resulting from a combination of heat and lack of water. It was a fast and furious vintage marked by above average temperatures, then sharp drops and spring frosts causing havoc in cooler sites.

An extended period of constant, dry weather set producers up for success by allowing healthy growth, followed by great day and night temperature fluctuations so essential to acid retention. Experience in the vineyard to avoid evaporation and a strong focus on quality set Bruno Giacosa apart from other producers.

An extension of the challenging 2017 vintage, 2018 kicked off with fresh and rainy winter conditions that persisted until the end of March, with lower-than- average temperatures. This turned out to be beneficial to the soils, which are normally parched. Spring rainfall was also abundant, resulting in high disease pressures that lasted well into autumn. A warmer and drier summer encouraged vegetative growth, remedied by thinning, and quickly advancing phenolic ripeness that reached an optimum by harvest time, which arrived like clockwork, around the first three weeks of October. Overall, the 2018 wines score high on precision, perfume, and presence.

The 2019 Barolos stand out for their purity, vibrant energy, and vivid sense of place. 2019 is a magnificent vintage gifted with wines of unseen class. It was punctuated by a cold and wet spring that slowed vineyard development, until summer arrived in June and delivered perfect conditions (consistent temperatures, generally hot and dry), ensuring good vine health. Localised hail in August resulted in some damage, thus lower than average yields. However, warm days and cool nights towards the end of the season conferred Nebbiolo its signature high pitch acidity, allowing it to reach both phenolic and flavour maturity by harvest time.

Winter temperatures were mild with rain and snow falls few and far between. Spring was relatively dry and sunny, resulting in steady, slow plant growth. The accumulation of water in the soil in the beginning of summer, combined with mild temperatures, prevented hydric stress. The very favourable climatic conditions were compounded by the absence of hailstorms or any other significant weather events. White varieties were harvested in September, one week ahead of previous years, while sugar and acidity levels were lower, yet balanced. As for Barbera and Nebbiolo, the slow and gradual ripening, combined with a rapid accumulation of polyphenols during moderate night temperatures around harvest, evidently resulted in the excellent sugar and acidity balance we so enjoy in these new wines.

A surprising vintage that saw most of the Nebbiolo harvested, vinified, and put to age in cellars by the middle of harvest, which was marked by climatic extremes. Flowering dodged early spring frost only to get caught up by June rains. Summer droughts followed. Overall, the challenge will be to find, within the concentration and power, the elegance known to the Langhe.

A testament to Nebbiolo’s resilience and ability to adapt. It showed promising early signs of a great vintage, with a timely and slow budbreak leading on to exceptional flowering conditions – sunny days with mild temperatures. However, subsequent drought and extremely high temperatures were two major defining factors of quality, creating water stress that delayed fruit set and thus stretched the ripening period. Older vines, which are deeply rooted in clay-rich soils performed the best that year. August rains helped ensure good final yields, albeit smaller, showing great flavour concentration, exceptional aromatics, and powerful tannins.

A vintage defined by extreme weather that posed challenges across all major Italian wine regions. First, hail and heavy rain hit Piedmont in August. Then, prolonged periods of heat and drought persisted until harvest. Without irrigation permitted, growers have been at the mercy of climate change induced shifts in microclimates. Results are only guaranteed by the great work done in the vineyard and then in the cellar, as well as by the ability and experience of the individual producers. Overall, 2023 was a classic, challenging vintage in which individual producers made all the difference - the way they managed canopy, or whether they practiced bunch thinning during the growing season, managed disease properly, harvested selectively and handled the fruit accordingly - only time and taste will tell if all those efforts pay off.