Prunotto has always been the one Antinori single estate that has continued to baffle me. After producing iconic wines in the 60’s and 70’s, and then many gems in the 80’s under Beppe Colla, the fortunes of the winery seemed to wane in the 90’s and early 2000’s. But I recently attended a fascinating retrospective tasting at the 2 Michelin star Greenhouse restaurant with their commercial manager, Emanuel Baldi, to taste some very impressive wines.

After a few glasses of the lovely Tenuta Montenisa Franciacorta Cuvee Royale from Antinori (91+/100 GS) to freshen the palate, we dived straight into their reds.

The Marchesi Antinori family first began its collaboration with the Prunotto Company, at first handling distribution, in 1989, and later, in 1994, when the Colla brothers retired, became directly involved in the production, attempting to maintain the excellent level of quality which Alfredo Prunotto had always insisted upon.

Prunotto Barbera d’Alba Pian Romualdo 2011, 14 Abv.

Opulent and vibrant, showing sweet cherry and strawberry fruits, liquorice, and earthy aniseed root. There is a beautiful fragrance too, with resounding rose petal, potpourri, and wood smoke complexity. The palate is elegant with suave powdery tannins, bright acids and a long black cherry, graphite and cherry pip finish. 

(Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW) 

Prunotto Barolo Bussia 2011, 13.5 Abv.

An impressively taught, lifted, fragrant intensity with a pretty perfume of rose petals, red cherry skins, and tart red plum. Plenty of liquorice, aniseed, and dusty, earthy red cherry mixed with smokey charcoal embers. The palate is cool, linear and focused with classic notes of cherry cola, sweet strawberry confit, exotic opulence and a seductive dried guava fruit complexity. Pristine freshness, vibrant acids and a saline cassis, fennel seed and liquorice finish. 

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW) 
Prunotto Barolo Riserva Vigna Colonnello 2010, 14 Abv. 

A highly anticipated wine from this epic vintage, the palate shows sweet cherry liquor, strawberry purée, plum jus, and pithy frais de bois. There is a tantalising sweet / Sour tart cherry note, fine linear acids with intense fruit concentration. Plenty of elegance with power and depth of fruit. 30% stems kept macerating for 2 weeks adds a sweet, sappy, pithy, tart red cherry character and creamy mineral tannins on a chiselled finish. Class and power abound. 

(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Prunotto Barolo Bussia 2005, 14 Abv. 

The 2005 Bussia is a gorgeous, opulent wine interwoven with scents of dried mint leaf, wood spices and dusty minerals that complement a generous core of fruit. The high quality French oak is beautifully integrated and the wine possesses exceptional overall balance, with a round, concentrated, harmonious finish. Plenty of textural flesh and depth of fruit with a saline, pithy, sweet tannined finish. Very nice.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Towards the end of the evening, we were treated to a few bottles of older Prunotto Bussia Barolo. The 1989 was perhaps not the best condition bottle (89+/100) and the 1982 sadly had a hint of cork taint. But it was the glorious 1986 from magnum that stole the show! A tremendous wine drinking very well indeed.

Prunotto Barolo Bussia 1986 (Magnum)

Complex aromatics emerge with hints of cherry, leather, tar, salty liquorice and a vital fruit balance. Plenty of cured meats and smokey spice, peach tea, herbs, and potpourri fragrance. Creamy fruit opulence gives way to layers of complex earthy spice. Sweetly concentrated, fresh, youthful and opulent, this is a very fine complex classical Barolo example at 31 years old. So vibrant, balanced and succulent. Wow! 

(Safari Wine Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Clearly, Antinori are proud of the illustrious Prunotto past, but also now seem primed to redouble their efforts to make this estate every bit as grand and quality focused as Tignanello, Guado al Tasso or Solaia. Definitely wines to watch! 

The Slendour of 2 Michelin stars…