Castello di Perno
April 2023 visit
Castello di Perno
Guilio Einaudi’s home, was a center of intellectualism, until 1994
45k total production
All wines spend several months in concrete before bottling
50 hl for barolo, long maceration long aging, new view is the drinkability.
First vintage of Nizza, Bbarolo was 2017
Gianluca Columbo in 2016
2021 Castello di Perno Langhe Nascetta from Seravalle
Ss, only free run juice,
Higher elevation, white Marne soil, oldest soil, for minerality
Fragrant, delicate, white flowers, hint of apricots delicate with good typicality and recognizable, dusty very soil driven, has a little spice and autumnal character, flinty, a touch round on entry, with enough glycerin to feel it, not opulent and certainly more tense and nervous on the mid-palate where the soil imprint is quite pronounced Has a little apricot tone on the midpalate that lingers on the finish, tasting this at slightly warmer than cellar temp and it shows well at this temp. Good length, a bit of lemon oil, its really nice, precise, nuanced and very detailed style. 90pts
2018 Castello di Perno Nizza 15%
In Nizza Bricco di Nizza, 2.5 h, 80 year old vines white chalk on top, silex in the middle under top soil, 4500 plants per hectare vineyards, 1 year in tonneau, from 2019 in big bottle, stockinger barrel, 50 hl, 25 days
Has the old vine notes, briary, deep, spicy, lovely damp earthy soil tones, dark fruit, very black fruited, lovely entry, moderate richness, a bit a child of the vintage with perhaps a touch of dilution, but deep, nuanced, it holds its alcohol so well, dark berry fruit, muscular but without weight, has great length, a fine glaze of tannin lending some structure. Really well balanced, elegant and finely textured. Has fine drinkability and detail, would like to try another vintage to get more a feel of the style. 88pts
2020 Castello di Perno Langhe Nebbiolo 13.5%
3 h of Langhe Nebbiolo in Gramolere, 420 meters, in vineyard facing totally north
Organic from 2017, 2021 certification for the vineyards, organic also in the cellar, can put on the label from 2023
8 months in botte of 50hl, 20 days maceration
Very savory on the nose, very woodlands, almost autumnal, complex and aromatic and very floral, really appealing nose, very distinctive aromatics, sliced orange, complex, balsamic, has a sweetness but no obvious fruitiness. Light and fresh in the mouth, this represents a very classic take on Langhe Nebbiolo that exults the fruit but fruit that is very transparent, delicate, and nuanced, very citrusy, orange rind, dried lemon peel, fairly delicate tannin, decent length, it sacrifices body and length for complexity and drinkability, has some red fruit emerging on the finish with woodland spice and a hint of nuttiness. It is a pretty unique representation of Langhe Nebbiolo. 90pts
Decided to create two wines from the same vineyard, high part which matures more quickly due to better exposure is the cru bottling, the lower part for the Barolo di Monforte, the fermentation is the same, the cru gets one year more in a botte, lower part harvested 2 weeks later, the cru is refined for another year because the tannins are a bit more aggressive.
2018 Castello di Perno Barolo 14.5%
Nice, sweet, carob a hint of vanilla, a bit balsamic, shows some evolution with a hint of carob, nice floral notes, a bit of minty herbs, also a bit dilute, the tannins are a bit under-ripe, the acidity a bit pronounced, pleasant wine, finishes a bit short, very pleasant, , turning quite aromatic with notes of incense, old wood, damp stone, dusty tannins, dilute midpalate, pleasant raspberry fruit, pleasant juicy, citrussy rose hip finish. 86pts
2017 Castello di Perno Barolo Castelletto 14.5%
Sweet, decidedly warm climate nose but not extremely fruity and certainly not cooked fruit, dark, balsamic, cocoa, crushed stone, really tautens up quickly on the nose, lilac, really incredible soil expression, salty, white soil, clay notes, just terrific terroir, a bit broad and supple in style but bright and juicy at the same time. Good depth, savory balsamic nuance, burnished cherry fruit, a bit to the tannic end of things but not with the raw tannins so many 2017s have, decent length, laurel leaf on the nose, really like the aromatics, its a well behaved 2017, ripe if abundant tannins, a bit of dark raspberry/ blackberry extract gracing the lengthening finish. Rather poised for the vintage. 91pts
2019 Castello di Perno Barolo
Delicate ruby color, lots of fruit immediately on the nose, detailed and precise with rosebud base notes, a vague hint of quinine, lots of emerging aromatic and balsamic herbs, lively in the mouth, delicate and silky, transparent, lovely tannins really young obviously but very approachable with a classic array of flavors and aromatics, delicate, vertical, and tense through the long finish, silky and refined mouthfeel but not polished, red fruit, wild raspberry, tightens up so it definitely still needs time, saffrony aspect to the nose, has the balsamic herbal nature of Monforte. 92pts
2019 Castello di Perno Castelletto Barolo
Aromatic stemmy root, radish root, soil tones, nettle, earthy slightly spicy character, a touch relaxed, not loose but slightly more open on entry than expect then this turns tannic, not hard, retaining transparency, black cherry fruit, black raspberry, fine integrated acidity more depth and weight in the mouth, fine tension on the backend and a lovely crystalline quality that lends energy to the finish. A subtle and nuanced example offering great detail and again a sense of refinement without polish. Lovely the purity and typicity of the herbal framed fresh berry fruit, very successfully and all of the wines are true representations of their vintages. There’s a real gentle sweetness to the fruit here, very natural and typical of the fruit flavors, wild raspberry with a fine spice note emerging on the finish, 93pts
Castello di Perno
Guilio Einaudi’s home, was a center of intellectualism, until 1994
45k total production
All wines spend several months in concrete before bottling
50 hl for barolo, long maceration long aging, new view is the drinkability.
First vintage of Nizza, Bbarolo was 2017
Gianluca Columbo in 2016
2021 Castello di Perno Langhe Nascetta from Seravalle
Ss, only free run juice,
Higher elevation, white Marne soil, oldest soil, for minerality
Fragrant, delicate, white flowers, hint of apricots delicate with good typicality and recognizable, dusty very soil driven, has a little spice and autumnal character, flinty, a touch round on entry, with enough glycerin to feel it, not opulent and certainly more tense and nervous on the mid-palate where the soil imprint is quite pronounced Has a little apricot tone on the midpalate that lingers on the finish, tasting this at slightly warmer than cellar temp and it shows well at this temp. Good length, a bit of lemon oil, its really nice, precise, nuanced and very detailed style. 90pts
2018 Castello di Perno Nizza 15%
In Nizza Bricco di Nizza, 2.5 h, 80 year old vines white chalk on top, silex in the middle under top soil, 4500 plants per hectare vineyards, 1 year in tonneau, from 2019 in big bottle, stockinger barrel, 50 hl, 25 days
Has the old vine notes, briary, deep, spicy, lovely damp earthy soil tones, dark fruit, very black fruited, lovely entry, moderate richness, a bit a child of the vintage with perhaps a touch of dilution, but deep, nuanced, it holds its alcohol so well, dark berry fruit, muscular but without weight, has great length, a fine glaze of tannin lending some structure. Really well balanced, elegant and finely textured. Has fine drinkability and detail, would like to try another vintage to get more a feel of the style. 88pts
2020 Castello di Perno Langhe Nebbiolo 13.5%
3 h of Langhe Nebbiolo in Gramolere, 420 meters, in vineyard facing totally north
Organic from 2017, 2021 certification for the vineyards, organic also in the cellar, can put on the label from 2023
8 months in botte of 50hl, 20 days maceration
Very savory on the nose, very woodlands, almost autumnal, complex and aromatic and very floral, really appealing nose, very distinctive aromatics, sliced orange, complex, balsamic, has a sweetness but no obvious fruitiness. Light and fresh in the mouth, this represents a very classic take on Langhe Nebbiolo that exults the fruit but fruit that is very transparent, delicate, and nuanced, very citrusy, orange rind, dried lemon peel, fairly delicate tannin, decent length, it sacrifices body and length for complexity and drinkability, has some red fruit emerging on the finish with woodland spice and a hint of nuttiness. It is a pretty unique representation of Langhe Nebbiolo. 90pts
Decided to create two wines from the same vineyard, high part which matures more quickly due to better exposure is the cru bottling, the lower part for the Barolo di Monforte, the fermentation is the same, the cru gets one year more in a botte, lower part harvested 2 weeks later, the cru is refined for another year because the tannins are a bit more aggressive.
2018 Castello di Perno Barolo 14.5%
Nice, sweet, carob a hint of vanilla, a bit balsamic, shows some evolution with a hint of carob, nice floral notes, a bit of minty herbs, also a bit dilute, the tannins are a bit under-ripe, the acidity a bit pronounced, pleasant wine, finishes a bit short, very pleasant, , turning quite aromatic with notes of incense, old wood, damp stone, dusty tannins, dilute midpalate, pleasant raspberry fruit, pleasant juicy, citrussy rose hip finish. 86pts
2017 Castello di Perno Barolo Castelletto 14.5%
Sweet, decidedly warm climate nose but not extremely fruity and certainly not cooked fruit, dark, balsamic, cocoa, crushed stone, really tautens up quickly on the nose, lilac, really incredible soil expression, salty, white soil, clay notes, just terrific terroir, a bit broad and supple in style but bright and juicy at the same time. Good depth, savory balsamic nuance, burnished cherry fruit, a bit to the tannic end of things but not with the raw tannins so many 2017s have, decent length, laurel leaf on the nose, really like the aromatics, its a well behaved 2017, ripe if abundant tannins, a bit of dark raspberry/ blackberry extract gracing the lengthening finish. Rather poised for the vintage. 91pts
2019 Castello di Perno Barolo
Delicate ruby color, lots of fruit immediately on the nose, detailed and precise with rosebud base notes, a vague hint of quinine, lots of emerging aromatic and balsamic herbs, lively in the mouth, delicate and silky, transparent, lovely tannins really young obviously but very approachable with a classic array of flavors and aromatics, delicate, vertical, and tense through the long finish, silky and refined mouthfeel but not polished, red fruit, wild raspberry, tightens up so it definitely still needs time, saffrony aspect to the nose, has the balsamic herbal nature of Monforte. 92pts
2019 Castello di Perno Castelletto Barolo
Aromatic stemmy root, radish root, soil tones, nettle, earthy slightly spicy character, a touch relaxed, not loose but slightly more open on entry than expect then this turns tannic, not hard, retaining transparency, black cherry fruit, black raspberry, fine integrated acidity more depth and weight in the mouth, fine tension on the backend and a lovely crystalline quality that lends energy to the finish. A subtle and nuanced example offering great detail and again a sense of refinement without polish. Lovely the purity and typicity of the herbal framed fresh berry fruit, very successfully and all of the wines are true representations of their vintages. There’s a real gentle sweetness to the fruit here, very natural and typical of the fruit flavors, wild raspberry with a fine spice note emerging on the finish, 93pts