Barolo 2022 comes to market with a vintage marked by heat and drought, which had led to fears of the worst. The work in the vineyard and the experience gained in the cellar, however, have made it possible to obtain wines that are energetic, fresh and identity-driven. A vintage that tells, more than others, how much the territory is learning to live with climate change. Luciano Pavesio tells us about it.
Barolo 2022 is coming to market and, as is often the case when it comes to new vintages and great appellations, the first questions are inevitable. What face will this vintage have? What style will it tell? And above all, how will Nebbiolo have reacted to an increasingly extreme and unpredictable climate?
An initial picture emerged at theEnoteca Regionale del Barolo, during the meeting. “The vintage to come – Barolo 2022”, strongly desired by director Cristiana Grimaldi. An opportunity to bring together technicians and producers and try to read, unfiltered, a vintage that started out under the sign of concern but was able – surprisingly – to return wines with character, children of a territory that is learning to measure itself against the new climatic normality.
Claudio Botto, president of the Enoteca, emphasized how this place has become not only a point of sale, but increasingly a center of learning and dissemination.
The analysis of the vintage
The year 2022 was marked by drought and abnormal heat. However, work in the vineyard made all the difference: frequent tillage to encourage water absorption and, in some cases, the use of shade nets to protect the grapes.
La harvest was short and concentrated in the first two decades of September, with the aim of preserving polyphenols and avoiding excessive sugar ripening.
In the cellar we have made treasure the experience gained in hot vintages such as 2003 and 2017, choosing short vinification and pumping over without pushing too hard on wood aging.
The result? Wines that announce themselves crisp and energetic, with nice acidity and clear territorial recognition of the different Barolo communes.
The culmination of climate change
Federico Spanna, agronomist for the Piedmont Region, called 2022 an atypical vintage, pointing out that by now climate change has brought erratic rainfall and above-average temperatures over the 2001-2021 period. Vines have shown great resilience, but the urgency is Increase forecasting, prevention and risk management., also considering the contraction of the growing season.
Luca Rostagno, wine technician and winemaker., spoke of 2022 as the”vintage of maturity“, so far the pinnacle of climate change. The earliest warnings of warming (1997, 2000 and especially 2003) were key to learning how to deal with higher gradations. Among the problems that emerged were the “phenolic trudging” and, above all, the shortage of water in the hills.
Producers and Consortium: the voice of the land
The producers in attendance-young recruits from several wineries-described a short, early and complex vintage, but at the same time “simple” thanks to the awareness gained and the perfect healthiness of the grapes.
The strategies adopted were based on constant monitoring of the vineyard, little topping to ensure shading and concentrated harvesting between Sept. 1 and 15, managing to maintain freshness despite high concentrations.
Despite the high quality, fears have emerged that 2022 may go by the wayside after three excellent vintages, along with growing concern about water shortages.
Sergio Germano, president of the Consortium, recalled the numbers of the appellation. 416 wineries on 2,250 hectares, now at 100 percent productivity, producing about 14 million bottles.
“2022 is a range of interpretations, the result of the synergy between territory and the producer’s hand,” he said. Stressing the value of the corporate culture, of experimentation and the need to teamwork between small and large producers for the protection and growth of the denomination.
Barolo beyond borders: international interest
Giving international scope to the meeting Ian D’Agata, reporting from Shanghai, author and president of its Wine Academy, who reiterated China’s love for Barolo and Nebbiolo, which are appreciated above all for their unmistakable recognizability. According to D’Agata, Barolo 2022 will be able to meet well with international tastes, which today often lean toward a rounder style.
Closing the event, Michele Longo, Wine Writer and president of the Technical Tasting Commission “A. Cordero” who summed up the vintage this way. “Only those who knew how to listen to it knew how to interpret it.”
In light of these considerations, Barolo 2022 stands as the expression of a vintage in which quality was the reward of preparation and adaptability of an area that faces the climate challenge with culture and courage. In the coming months a wider audience of insiders and consumers will be able to confirm or not confirm these quality aspects by tasting the first labels on the market.
