Hail, Heat and Renewal: Barbaresco Passes the ’23 Test

A lively energy is running through Barbaresco this winter, driven by a new generation now leading many estates – and by the focus and dynamism they’re bringing as they confront increasingly challenging vintages.

The 2023 season was undoubtedly one of those tests. It was defined by a generally mild winter, an exceptionally rainy spring, record hail in early July and significant heat waves approaching harvest.

If mild winters are no longer unusual in the Langhe, spring rains are nothing new, either. “Downy mildew was well managed here, unlike in Tuscany,” said Gaia Gaja, co-owner of the renowned Gaja winery.

The historic hail didn’t help matters, but it also wasn’t the biggest challenge. It came with a storm that swept in from Turin, and it ultimately battered the Roero, Barbaresco and then Alta Langa.

“Twenty minutes of ping-pong-ball hail” is how Matteo Franchi, the winemaker at Bovio and a partner at Bricco Ciarla in Treiso, described it. “People in their 70s said they had never seen anything like it.”

The damage traced a path from the edge of Rabaja to Treiso, the hardest-hit area. “The vineyards of Sansunet in Treiso looked like winter,” Franchi said. “The vines shut down for 15 days.”

Yet what truly tested growers was the heat. “In 2023 we were forced into heavy crop thinning because of sunburn on the grapes” Gaja explained. “Yields had started high; it was a fertile year with large clusters thanks to the spring rains.”

Then temperatures spiked. “A week in late August reached 40 degrees Celsius with wind,” Gaja said. “It was impossible to keep clusters protected. West- and south-facing slopes with contour-planted rows were the worst hit – one side was completely scorched. We dropped about 40 percent of the crop, moving from potential yields of 60 quintals per hectare to around 45 to 50.”

Harvest ultimately began on Sept. 22 and 23, about five to seven days earlier than the early-October average of the best years, and earlier than in 2022.

After the first day of blind tastings at the Albeisa Consortium in Alba, a few samples from Asili – among the most elegant crus in the Langhe – showed below expectations: less expressive, less defined and less proverbially refined.

Giuseppe Tartaglino, the winemaker at Bruno Giacosa, attributed this to heat exposure. “With its southern orientation, Asili suffered from the late-August heat of 35 to 37 degrees Celsius,” he said. “Leaves were curling; ripening stopped. Ten days of maturation were lost. We reduced yields to keep only smaller clusters and relieve vine stress.”

Low yields were confirmed by official figures from the local producers’ association. In 2023, Barbaresco counted 4.98 million bottles produced, compared with 5.06 million in 2022.

The 2023 wines, though, show exceptional transparency in the glass and carry a pale ruby color. They are generally balanced, lightly extracted and easy to drink, though less complex than top vintages.

The strongest examples show a deficit of concentration and depth – wines to be discovered within the folds of a low-key year. “With time they might resemble 2019,” said Bruna Giacosa, who runs Bruno Giacosa, hinting at the aging potential of the best wines. Weaker bottles are lighter still, supple but loosely defined and structurally fragile.

Among crus, Asili struggled, while Rabaja – warmed by afternoon sun – emerged more balanced, with Pajore and Rocche dei Sette Fratelli also performing quite well.

One standout was the Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo 2023. It’s smoky and elegantly austere, showing graphite, licorice, red currants, dried cherries, violets and potpourri, with polished tannins and refreshing acidity. The quality is evident in the finish, with its strawberry and orange-zest nuances. Gaia Gaja noted that only 2,400 bottles were produced.

Castello di Neive also interpreted the vintage convincingly, with its Gallina 2023 notable for its spice-driven structure and balsamic depth. It’s quite full-bodied despite the vintage.

Too often, the implicit hierarchy of Piedmontese wine writing defines Barbaresco through comparison to Barolo rather than on its own terms – a habit that overlooks an identity capable of remarkable nuance in challenging years like 2023 and profound elegance in stronger ones.

That becomes evident when tasting the riservas released this year, especially 2021 and 2020 bottlings. These are darker, structured, aromatic and deep wines that reaffirm Barbaresco’s stature.

Among the best is the fully restrained, complex and dark Bruno Rocca Barbaresco Currà Riserva 2020. This is a layered offering with an earthy minerality, a full body and ripe, velvety tannins alongside a fresh finish. Another, the Castello di Neive Barbaresco Santo Stefano Riserva 2021, is spicy and firm, with dusty tannins, crisp acidity and a polished finish, despite its structure.

An extraordinary Ca’ del Baio Barbaresco Asili Riserva 2020 shows subtle aromas of mint and licorice with wild strawberries, watermelon and dried flowers. It’s full-bodied and very elegant, offering ripe, velvety tannins and crisp, persistent, integrated acidity.

Barbaresco's vitality lies in its younger leadership. Giuseppe Tartaglino, just 31, represents one example; Matteo Franchi another, guiding Bricco Ciarla with his partner, Massimo Marcarino. Luca Peri’s work at Carlo Giacosa continues to gain attention; Produttori del Barbaresco has seen leadership transition from Aldo Vacca to Luca Cravanzola; and Gaia, Rossana and Giovanni Gaja now steer the family estate, even as their father, Angelo, and mother, Lucia, remain present.

In Barbaresco today, renewal is not rhetorical – it is structural, generational and visible in the glass.

– Aldo Fiordelli, Senior Editor

The list of wines below is comprised of bottles tasted and rated by the JamesSuckling.com tasting team. They include many latest releases not yet available on the market, but which will be available soon. 

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