Nizza Riserva Costamiole, Prunotto 2020
Pronounced intensity and dry on the palate. High acidity, medium minus tannins, high alcohol, medium body, long finish. Outstanding wine.
The Nizza Riserva Costamiole, Prunotto 2020 is a captivating wine with a Deep garnet. Pronounced intensity on the nose with blackcurrant, black cherry, black plum, black pepper, licorice, eucalyptus, fig, chocolate, coffee, charred wood, and prune. Developing. Pronounced intensity and dry on the palate. High acidity, medium minus tannins, high alcohol, medium body, long finish. Outstanding wine.
The wine is made exclusively from 100% Barbera grapes. Barbera is a grape variety known for its deep color, rich flavor, and high acidity, which makes it perfect for producing robust and well-balanced wines.
Can drink now but has potential for aging or further aging. Good complexity, intense on the nose and palate and an amazing long finish.
The Nizza Riserva Costamiole, Prunotto 2020 is crafted with meticulous care. The grapes are harvested from vineyards in the Agliano Terme area, benefiting from a favorable southern exposure. The 2020 growing season saw mild winter weather and beneficial groundwater reserves, ensuring optimal ripeness and balance in the grapes.
After harvesting, the grapes are destemmed and crushed, with maceration on the skins carefully monitored to achieve optimal extraction. The wine is then aged for approximately 12 months in new French oak barriques, which helps maintain its freshness and aromatic qualities. Following this, it undergoes an additional year of aging in the bottle before being released
Alfredo Prunotto founded his business in 1922, and was one of Piemonte’s most dynamic exporters until his retirement in 1956. The company passed then to Prunotto’s friend Beppe Colla, now a revered winemaker and one of the founding fathers of modern Piemonte. His defining moment was the decision in 1961 to bottle single-vineyard, or cru, wines from the finest sites – a practice that is now the norm in the region. Those wines were made from bought-in grapes, but in the 1990s the current owners, the Antinoris of Tuscany, extended the Prunotto holdings, including plots in the outstanding Bric Turot and Bussia vineyards.
The quality of the top wines goes without saying, but the rest of the range is made with equal aplomb. The style is modern without being exaggerated: freshness of aroma and approachability of structure are viewed as positives, but copious new oak is not. Indeed, the only wines that see the inside of a brand new barrique are the outstanding single vineyard Barberas.
Barbera
Often set in the shadow of Nebbiolo, its fellow Piedmont native, Barbera nonetheless produces distinctive and highly attractive aromatic and versatile red wines with all the appeal of Nebbiolo and none of the vices.
Best-known for its starring role in Piedmont’s Barbera d’Alba and Barbera d’Asti wines, Barbera is a northern Italian grape producing fresh, light-bodied red wines with low tannins. Alongside Nebbiolo and Dolcetto, it is synonymous with Piedmont although this dark-skinned wine grape variety found in several Italian wine regions, including its native Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Puglia, Campania and even the island regions, Sicily and Sardinia.
At the turn of the 21st Century, it was Italy’s third most-commonly planted red wine grape, after Sangiovese and Montepulciano (although it has since been overtaken by French internationalist Merlot and southern Italy’s deep and aromatic Primitivo.
Nonetheless, Barbera remains popular for producing vibrantly coloured, fruity, light-to-medium bodied red wines with low tannins and high acidity. Indeed, its soft tannin profile sets it apart from Nebbiolo, its more prestigious – and very tannic – Piedmontese counterpart.
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The Country
Italian wine, with its rich diversity and quality, is a reflection of the country’s deep-rooted wine culture and the varied terroirs that span from the Alpine slopes in the north to the sun-drenched islands in the south. Italy is renowned for being the world’s largest wine producer, offering an array of wines that are as diverse as its cuisine. From the robust and age-worthy Barolo and Barbaresco wines of Piedmont to the light and zesty Pinot Grigio of the Veneto region, Italian wines are made to complement a wide range of foods and occasions. The country’s winemaking history dates back thousands of years, influenced by ancient civilizations such as the Etruscans and Romans, and continues to evolve today. Each region boasts its own indigenous grape varieties, with over 350 officially recognized by the Italian government, contributing to the unique character and flavor profiles of Italian wines. Whether it’s a Chianti Classico enjoyed with pasta in a Tuscan villa or a crisp Prosecco toasting a special moment, Italian wines encapsulate the essence of la dolce vita—the sweet life
The Region
Piedmont, or “Piemonte” in Italian, is a renowned wine-growing region in northwestern Italy with such as Barolo which is often called the ‘King of Wines’, Barbaresco similar to Barolo but slightly more approachable, Barbera d’Asti perfect for everyday enjoyment and Moscato d’Asti sweet, aromatic, and low in alcohol
The Producer
Alfredo Prunotto founded his business in 1922, and was one of Piemonte’s most dynamic exporters until his retirement in 1956. The company passed then to Prunotto’s friend Beppe Colla, now a revered winemaker and one of the founding fathers of modern Piemonte. His defining moment was the decision in 1961 to bottle single-vineyard, or cru, wines from the finest sites – a practice that is now the norm in the region. Those wines were made from bought-in grapes, but in the 1990s the current owners, the Antinoris of Tuscany, extended the Prunotto holdings, including plots in the outstanding Bric Turot and Bussia vineyards.
The quality of the top wines goes without saying, but the rest of the range is made with equal aplomb. The style is modern without being exaggerated: freshness of aroma and approachability of structure are viewed as positives, but copious new oak is not. Indeed, the only wines that see the inside of a brand new barrique are the outstanding single vineyard Barberas.
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