The year 2022 will be remembered as a harvest of great stress, and also as a pleasant final surprise.
2022 will go down in history as the driest and hottest year in Piedmont since 1950. Despite this, the vines grown on the Langhe hills have once again demonstrated their extraordinary ability to adapt to even the most extreme weather conditions.

A rather anomalous climate pattern was evident from the end of autumn. After a very light snowfall on December 3rd, the rest of the winter passed without any precipitation, neither rain nor snow, and temperatures remained very mild throughout the "cold" season. For this reason, budbreak was also brought forward by about a week, around the twentieth of March. Spring continued under the banner of dry weather, with only a light shower of a few millimeters on the second of May. Temperatures in April and May were in line with seasonal averages, while June saw above-average maximum temperatures. The high temperatures and prolonged drought also led to an early flowering of the Nebbiolo grapes, around mid-June. The same trend continued in July, when stressful conditions became apparent in the vineyard: less foliage than usual due to the limited development of secondary shoots, and looser and lighter bunches, resulting in a marked decrease in yield per hectare. On the other hand, the very dry climate almost completely limited the impact of fungal diseases, drastically reducing the need for pesticide treatments. Manual and mechanical work to contain the canopy was also easier than usual.

Particular attention had to be paid to maintaining sufficient shade on the bunches, trying to limit any damage from excessive exposure to sunlight. In short, these are conditions that have become fairly commonplace over the last 10-15 years, but in 2022 they reached a previously unseen peak. We can nevertheless say that Nebbiolo has demonstrated its synergy with this terroir, adapting remarkably well to the situation.

The harvest began in Barbaresco on September 22nd and concluded on October 3rd without a hitch. The smaller-than-usual berries shifted the skin-to-pulp ratio in favor of the former, resulting in a tannic content and color that was better than expected after the difficult summer season. The alcohol content is high, but in line with recent vintages, and, once vinification is complete, the aromatic richness is good.

We can say that the 2022 Barbarescos, despite everything, will be wines of excellent drinkability and balance, guaranteeing good aging potential.