Prunotto Occhetti Nebbiolo d’Alba 2006

Prunottois a wine producer based in Langhe, in northern Italy. It makes a range of wines from some of the region’s most famous DOC and DOCG appellations, including Barolo, Barbaresco, Dolcetto d’Alba, Barbera d’Alba and Moscato d’Asti.

The estate has its origins in 1923 when Alfredo Prunotto acquired a cooperative winery in Alba called Ai Vini delle Langhe. Prunotto did not initially own any of his own vineyards – he purchased and vinified grapes from around Piedmont instead. Now, the Prunotto estate consists of 50 hectares (123 acres) of estate vineyards, including land in several of the Barolo crus, the most famous of which is Vigna Colonnello, in the Bussia sub-region. This vineyard, located in a natural amphitheater with mixed soils of clay, tufa and sand, is perfect for the Nebbiolo grapes that grow here. The single-vineyard wine made here is Prunello’s flagship wine.

Grapes are all hand-harvested before maceration and fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Aging times and casks depend on grape variety and vintage, with the top wines like the Prunotto Bussia Vigna Colonnello aged for 24 months in large oak barrels. This particular wine then has 12 months in stainless steel and an additional 30 months in bottle. Bottle-aging is particularly important at Prunotto – all of the wines are released only when they are deemed ready to drink.

Prunotto’s white wines – a Roero Arneis and a Moscato d’Asti – are made in a fresh style, fermented and aged in stainless steel before release.