Barbaresco 2022 vintage: The hot vintage paradox & pick of the 2020 Riservas

The 2022 Barbaresco vintage presents a paradox: a hot, dry growing season yielding wines that defy expectations, often showing surprising freshness and purity. However, quality is inconsistent, with some wines exhibiting leanness and higher-than-usual volatile acidity.

This report explores the challenges faced by producers which led to earlier-than-average harvests and lower yields. While some vineyards thrived, showcasing the resilience of Nebbiolo and the skill of the agronomists, others struggled.

Discover which communes and vineyards excelled, and find out which respected producer declassified their entire Barbaresco production.

Alongside the 2022s, the report also examines the 2020 Riserva releases, highlighting their graciousness and early accessibility. Uncover the secrets of these contrasting vintages and gain insight into the nuanced character of Barbaresco in a challenging climate.

Barbaresco 2022 vintage rating: 3.5/5

Prolonged and extreme drought with above average temperatures led to an early harvest. Quality is uneven but the successes are truly worthwhile, offering remarkable freshness and near to mid-term drinking.

Notes and scores for the best Barbaresco 2022 & Riserva 2020 below

‘A paradox’ is how many Barbaresco producers describe the 2022 vintage. The paradox is that despite the hot and dry growing season, the wines do not necessarily show as a hot vintage. They are neither exaggerated in alcohol nor overripe or stewy.

Some do demonstrate a candied fruit quality, and tannins can someties have a slightly dry, dusty feel, but freshness is well preserved, and the best examples boast admirable purity, definition and depth. This is a great testament to Barbaresco’s winemakers and agronomists who worked tirelessly to manage and interpret an unprecedented vintage.

Yet quality is not consistent across all estates. Beyond overly lean, lacking examples, I also found a greater number of faulty wines than usual – particularly unpleasantly high VA (volatile acidity) and vinegary notes.

Overall, I consider 2022 a surprisingly good rather than outstanding vintage. Beyond heterogenous quality, there is less clear identity between MGA bottlings. ‘Hot vintages tend to flatten differences’, concurs Daniela Rocca at Albino Rocca.

For this reason, Andrea Sottimano – who produces MGA bottlings exclusively – declassified all the estate’s Barbaresco as Vino da Tavola and sold in bulk. ‘I don’t want to say that 2022 is a bad year. Rather, the wines lack terroir expression’, he declares.

Wine of the vintage

Giuseppe Cortese, Barbaresco Rabajà: The estate went against the grain in 2022, waiting until October 10th to harvest and making no compromises in the cellar. Demonstrating purity, tension and textural complexity, this rang out and took my top score in a blind tasting of almost 70 of its peers.

Barbaresco 2022: Highlights

In terms of highlights, the Barbaresco township was the most consistent. Within its western sector, great sites like Asili and Rabajà proved their mettle. Bruno Giacosa and Ca’ del Baio in the former, and Giuseppe Cortese in the latter are among my top picks.

On the village’s opposite flank, the Ronchi slope benefitted from its eastern orientation being spared the scorching afternoon sun. Look for Albino Rocca and David Fletcher’s bottlings.

In Treiso, Rizzi came out with a lovely set of wines from its fresh, well ventilated sites, while in Neive, Paitin’s Serraboella and Massolino’s Albesani are worth seeking out.

Given the atypical conditions, it is difficult to equate 2022 with other vintages. ‘Perhaps it resembles 2015, but without the ageing potential’, proposes Bruna Giacosa.

Indeed, most wines suggest a drinking window between five to 10 years, but top performers have the potential to reward in the cellar beyond this.

I recommend choosing wisely from trusted producers in 2022, but don’t miss out completely. To do so would deny joy and admiration for this truly unique and paradoxical vintage.

Barbaresco 2022: Vintage conditions

The drought that started in 2020 and continued through 2021 reached its apogee in 2022. Produttori del Barbaresco recorded 5cm of snow in early December 2021, after which there wasn’t any significant precipitation again until 25mm of rain fell on 3 May.

I visited shortly after, when spring rain typically makes it impossible to walk through the vineyards. The earth, however, was powder dry. Nor were the canopies their usual lush, vigorous selves. Instead, the vines had barely grown.

June through to August continued in the same arid vein, adding higher than average temperatures into the mix. Somehow, the vines managed not just to survive but adapt. ‘They looked like bonsai’, describes Gaia Gaja, adding that there was no sign of stress.

The vines responded to the lack of water by forming small clusters and not pushing suckers. ‘This meant less evapotranspiration, and therefore less need for water’, explains Franco Massolino.

The upside was an absence of fungal disease. Likewise, green harvesting was barely necessary. Instead, vineyard work focused on preserving moisture and managing what little canopy there was to shade the grapes from sunburn.

The first half of September saw a couple of scant showers, which were ‘just enough to help Nebbiolo’, according to Luisa Rocca at Bruno Rocca. They also served to bring temperatures down.

Harvest time

When I returned to the region in early October, harvest should have been in full swing. However, most estates had already finished picking with starting dates between one to two weeks earlier than average. One of the rare outliers, Giuseppe Cortese waited until 10 October, crediting a light rain prior for helping bring balance to the grapes.

While some growers maintain that achieving phenolic ripeness was not an issue, deciding when to harvest was a challenge for many. ‘We kept waiting for phenolic maturity, but it never happened’, recalls rising star Francesco Versio.

Yields were considerably lower than average, particularly in hotter, south-facing pockets. Despite healthy grapes with thick skins, winemakers exercised caution in the cellar.

According to Enrico Dellapiana at Rizzi, the dry, hot conditions resulted in low assimilable nitrogen levels, increasing the risk of stuck fermentations. He chose to inoculate ‘to encourage regular and rapid fermentation’.

Shorter macerations were also common. Versio reduced time on the skins to just 15-20 days, versus up to 45 days in 2021, and opted for pump-overs only. ‘There was a risk of making thin wines’, he admits.

Barbaresco 2022 value picks

Castello di Verduno, Barbaresco: This elegant package hails from some of Barbaresco’s most distinguished sites.

Luigi Oddero, Barbaresco: Immediate and ample pleasure for an excellent price.

Nada Giuseppe, Barbaresco Casot: A small family estate with deep roots in Casot and organic certification since 2017.

Poderi Colla, Barbaresco Roncaglie: A top name in the Langhe but stills flies under the radar.

Rizzi, Barbaresco Rizzi: The flagship bottling offers a very affordable introduction to an estate well worth discovering.

What Barbaresco 2022 to drink when

Green light: Drink over the next 5-7 years

Albino Rocca, Barbaresco Cottà: A soft and seductive version of this typically long-lived bottling.

Cascina Luisin, Barbaresco Rabajà-Bas: Lovely precision, best to enjoy while all is in focus.

Enrico Serafino, Barbaresco Bricco di Neive: Suave, yielding and upfront in its charms – perfect for drinking now.

Cantina Vignaioli Elvio Pertinace, Barbaresco Marcarini: Full of plush fruit and zesty acidity for immediate gratification.

Francesco Versio Barbaresco: One of the denomination’s rising stars, Versio teases out prettiness and perfume in this challenging vintage.

Yellow light: Drink over the next 10+ years

Massolino, Barbaresco Albesani: Charming now but with ample density and length for the next 10 years.

Olek Bondonio, Barbaresco Roncagliette: All its vigour is imposing now but should serve to carry the wine over the next decade.

Rizzi, Barbaresco Pajorè: Boasts depth, buoyancy, elegance and admirable mid-term ageability.

Gaja, Sori San Lorenzo Barbaresco: One of the top wines of the vintage with exceptional definition and cellaring potential of at least 15 years.

Bruno Giacosa, Barbaresco Asili: Rising gloriously above the vintage’s challenges, this should sail effortlessly into 2040.

Barbaresco Riserva 2020

Apropos of pleasure, Barbaresco’s 2020 Riserva are being released at the same time. Among a small set of approximately 25 tasted, quality is high.

A very warm summer was balanced by showers and the coddled vines yielded ripe, supple, delightful annata wines. Correspondingly, the Riservas emphasise graciousness over power. The few that disappointed were robbed of vintage expression and harmony, perhaps from clumsy or overly long ageing in wood.

Among the category’s successes, Marchesi di Grésy’s Martinenga Gaiun and Bruno Giacosa’s Asili epitomise enduring finesse, while Produttori del Barbaresco’s Ovello and Paitin’s Serraboella Vecchie Vigne demonstrate a charming balance to their usual vigour.

While the vintage does not rate among the longest-lived, the wines should evolve gracefully over 10 to 15 years and will offer relatively early accessibility.

What Barbaresco Riserva 2020 to drink when

Green light: Drink over the next 10 years

Orlando Abrigo, Rongalio Barbaresco Riserva: A well-priced, characterful Riserva from a lesser-known estate.

Fratelli Giacosa, Vigna Gianmate’, Barbaresco Riserva Basarin: Offers plenty to chew on for those looking for a robust Riserva.

Vietti, Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà: Supple and immediately seductive with Barbaresco elegance and Riserva complexity.

Yellow light: Cellaring potential of 15+ years

Bruno Rocca, Barbaresco Rabajà: Very sophisticated and detailed, this will reveal its intricacies slowly.

Paitin, Sorì Paitin Vecchie Vigne, Barbaresco Serraboella: Its signature austerity is just sufficiently curbed without sacrificing longevity.

Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Ovello: Sturdy and robust but harmonious. Just give it a few years before opening.

Barbaresco & Riserva recommendations:

Wines are listed 2022 Barbarescos first, then 2020 Riservas

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