Annata 2022 Langhe & Roero – amazingly bright joyful Nebbiolo wines despite the heat & drought!

• 29 January 2026 /

After a dry mild winter, the 2022 season started early with spring temps. in Feb, summer arrived in early June, July very hot & continued to be dry, broken by some rain & marginally cooler temps. in August; little plant growth necessitating green harvest to facilitate maturation & help the vine. Despite traces of oidium, 2022 witnessed a clean, healthy season with half the number of treatments; by comparison 2003, coming after a wet 2002, was heavier with yield while in ’22 the vine’s vigour more contained after a dry ’21, plus producers in ’22 were careful to green harvest to enable to vine to cope/ripen, while leaving the canopy & soil undisturbed. Harvest end Aug for Roero bianchi & Dolcetto; Nebbiolo da Barolo started c. three wks early wc 19^th Sept, finishing wc 3^rd Oct in Castiglione Falletto & Serralunga d’Alba. Green harvest & thick skins resulted in c.40% lower yield. Effective destalkers helpful, the ability to polymerise the fruit tannins (through submerged cap if necessary) important to complete the wines. Wines to be enjoyed in the short/medium term while ’21 & more classically structured vintages age in bottle.