Tasted before the wine was bottled, the Prunotto 2017 Barolo Riserva Bussia Vigna Colonnello shows that point of candied cherry or raspberry that underlines the dry and hot conditions of the summer growing season. Beyond that note of ripeness, however, this wine does reveal more complexity in the form of black licorice, spice and crushed flowers. The parcel measures 4.5 hectares with south-facing exposures and clay and loam soils. Only 5,000 bottles were made.

Only made in the best years, the Prunotto 2016 Barolo Riserva Bussia Vigna Colonnello shows classic lines, good sharpness and delicate aromas. The only thing lacking is intensity, and the rather subdued personality of this wine is reflected across the portfolio of new releases from this important estate. The wine gives a lot, but you end up wanting more. The delivery of fruit is simple and rather of fact with light structure and nice freshness. It will hopefully flesh out with more time in the bottle.

The 2013 Barolo Riserva Bussia Vigna Colonnello offers a very unique bouquet, and I'm not sure it is entirely likable. There is an element of ripe fruit and dried cherry followed by cola, grassy herb and toasted spice. I tasted the wine unfinished, before its commercial release, so the jury is out on where this wine is headed from this point out.

There's not much structure in the 2012 Barolo Riserva Bussia Vigna Colonnello. It's very thin in the mouth, with notes of eucalyptus and medical herb. I would have expected more grit and power from this vintage, but ultimately, this wine plays its cards very close to its chest. It does not fully open.

This is the top-shelf wine from the folks at Prunotto. The 2011 Barolo Riserva Bussia Vigna Colonnello shows its pedigree but in a delicate and understated manner. The bouquet is indeed very complex with a long succession of intriguing aromas that span from pressed flower to wild berry to exotic spice. These elements are fitted together with the utmost precision. In the mouth, the wine shows a point of sourness, but it also moves over the palate with silky intensity and firm texture. The finish is extremely long and smooth.