New Releases from Piedmont

By Antonio Galloni

2005 Barbaresco

2005 is a fascinating vintage in Barbaresco for many reasons. First, and foremost is the simple fact that a generation ago 2005 would have likely been a lost vintage. Much has often been made of how technical advances have improved winemaking over the years. The 2005 Barbarescos are a perfect example of how today’s wines are far better and more consistent than those made in the past. The key event that defines the 2005 vintage in Piedmont is the week of rain that the region saw beginning in early October. Today’s weather forecasting tools and the rapid communication of information via the internet and other mediums gave growers the choice of harvesting before or after the rains, a choice they simply didn’t have 20 years ago. It is easy to forget that until the 1980s it was common for Piedmont to see two to three great vintages per decade, while the rest were average, at very best. Today it is the exact opposite. The decade spanning 1996-2005 has seen only one abysmal vintage (2002), one very freakish, torrid vintage (2003), while the rest of the years have given producers the conditions to make wines that range from outstanding to legendary. For lovers of Piedmont wines, it is clear we are in a Golden Age, as 2006 and 2007 are quite promising as well. As we go to print in October 2008, conditions appear favorable for the Nebbiolo harvest this year, despite challenging conditions in the spring.