Nebbiolo Prima is one of the great wine summits. Held every May in Alba, it invites winemakers of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero (all in the Italian region of Piedmont) to showcase their recently released vintage. The event is organised by Albeisa and executed with clockwork precision by Gheusis, their PR agency. A select group of about 100 wine writers from across the world are invited to taste.

This was my second visit to the event. With more than 200 winemakers showcasing 500 wines, it was an epic five days. Featuring this year was Barolo 2012 and Barolo Riserva 2010; Barbaresco 2013 and Barbaresco Riserva 2011; Roero 2013 and Roero Riserva 2012. The tastings are organised in the morning; post-lunch, there are winery visits followed by dinners with the producers. Indeed a very tight schedule.

Tasting nearly 100 wines every morning is a gruelling task and a fight for the senses, but with a little training one can pass the test. All the wines are tasted blind. There are two tasting options — soft and intensive. I chose the intensive programme because it gives the chance to taste more than one wine from each producer.

The event, now in its 21st year, has come a long way since it started in 1996 with the commitment to promote the wines of the Langhe and the Roero.

The event kicked off on a Sunday evening with the customary welcome aperitifs at the wonderful Castello di Guarene. On show were the sparkling and white wines of the region with a buffet spread of local food and cheeses. For me it was an opportunity to taste some sparkling wines made in the region, most notably the sparkling made by Deltetto. I also took this chance to taste the Arneis wine made by the various producers.

The tasting is conducted in the Palazzo Mostre e Congressi. The rooms are stark white and the tables covered in white damask: an ideal setting for wine-tasting. The tasting is conducted most efficiently by the Association of Italian Sommeliers (AIS), whose members do a fantastic job of serving the wines at the correct temperature and in the right sequence of flight.

The summit is conducted in a very professional manner and Alberto Cordero, the president of Albeisa, meets each and every guest individually.

My overall assessment of the summit?
The Barolo 2012 are drinking well and can be approached now, though one needs to be careful about choosing the wine as there are some inconsistencies across the region, particularly  so in the commune of Serralunga. The 2010 can be kept for a few more years to show their true potential. It is one of the great vintages.

The wines of Barbaresco 2013 are excellent across the whole region and many wonderful wines are to be found. These wines can be drunk now or they can be kept for a few more years as most of them will develop with wonderful flavours and bouquet if cellared properly. The Riservas of 2011 are rather poor in comparison.

There were a limited number of Roero wines and therefore it was difficult to come to an overall assessment.

The writer is the president of the Kolkata Wine Commune

THE CHOSEN SOME FROM THE 500 TASTED AT NEBBIOLO PRIMA

BAROLO 2012

1. Cantina Bartolo Mascarello; Barolo 2012: Beautifully made, well balanced, great structure, fragrant, flavours of fruit, violets and potpourri blended harmoniously with the tannins. Very good length. Very elegant wine.
2. Prunotto; Barolo 2012: A well-crafted wine with nice structure, the fruits and acidity blended well. The tannins are soft and well integrated. Hints of violets on the nose.
3. Cascina Adelaide; Barolo 2012, Baudana: Excellent red fruits mixed with tannins, hints of dried apricots, the acidity giving structure to the wine. Good body and length.
4Anselma Giacomo; Barolo 2012, Collaretto: Beautiful aromas of fruit combined with tannins giving the wine excellent balance. Notes of star anise and cinnamon. Very well made wine.
5. Bovio Gianfranco; Barolo 2012, Gattera: Fragrant with spice, dried flower. Lots of minerality on the palate. Beautiful structure. Powerful. Great finesse.
6. Paolo Scavino; Barolo 2012, Bric del Fiasc: A wine with great flavour, medium acidity and soft tannins. Very complex. Build to last.
7. Giacosa Fratelli; Barolo 2012, Scarrone Vigna Mandorlo: Beautifully crafted, superb nose of fruits with minerals. Excellent mouthfeel. Nice flavour of wood with tannins blended harmoniously.
8. Giacomo Fenocchio; Barolo 2012, Bussia: Balsamic notes on nose. Nice tannin. Elegantly made wine with power and finesse. Nice flavour of red fruits. 
9. Alessandria Fratelli; Barolo 2012, San Lorenzo Di Verduno: Light garnet hue with wonderful nose of dried flowers, star anise, and lavender. Tannins are silky and the acidity well balanced. Excellent wine.
10. Barale Fratelli; Barolo 2012: Light ruby colour. Nose of dried flower. Soft tannins and bracing acidity. Good length. Well-made wine.
11. Giuseppe Rinaldi; Barolo 2012, Tre Tine: Typical Nebbiolo flavours. Classic Barolo flavours. Complex and excellently well-made wine. Will last a long time.
12. Vajra-G.D.Vajra; Barolo 2012, Bricco Delle Viole: Deep red fruits with sweet tannins on nose. Beautiful structure of soft tannins and fruit with mid-weight acidity. Excellently made wine.
13. Rinaldi Francesco & Figli; Barolo 2012, Brunate: Lovely red fruits on nose, palate of violets, slight hint of tobacco. Smooth and silky tannins. Well-balanced wine made to last a long time.
14. Cantine dei Marchesi di Barolo; Barolo 2012, Cannubi: A classical Barolo with all the typical flavours, lavender, rose hailing from this famous vineyard. Complex, yet approachable now.
15. Brezza Giacomo e Figli Az.Agr; Barolo 2012, Sarmassa: Superb nose of violets, and dried fruits. Long length, great structure. Classical Barolo.
16.Virna Borgogno, Barolo 2012, Sarmassa: Another classical Barolo, made by this relatively new house. Lots of fruits mixed with tannins, hints of vanilla.

BARBARESCO 2013

1. Michele Chiarlo; Barbaresco 2013, Asili: Light ruby-coloured wine, nose of violets, minerals on palate, good acidity. Moderate tannins. Very nicely balanced.
2. Ceretto; Barbaresco 2013, Asili: A lovely russet-coloured wine, elegantly balanced. Aromas of dried fruits, minerals mingled with soft tannins.
3. Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Gresy; Barbaresco 2013, Martinenga: Another lovely with flavours of roses and dried fruits. A little tight and closed at the moment, but elegant all the same. Build to last.
4. Luigi Giordano; Barbaresco 2013, Montestefano: Fresh, elegant beautifully-balanced wine. Soft tannins, some minerals. Good structure.
5. Prunotto; Barbaresco 2013, Bric Turot: Fragrant, floral freshness on nose. Very good acidity, nice balance. Elegant. 
6. Albino Rocca; Barbaresco 2013, Angelo. Beautifully-crafted wine. Excellent balance. Violets, dried flower, some dried fruits. Lots of finesse, excellent structure, binding acidity with fruits.
7. Boffa Carlo; Barbaresco 2013, Ovello. Hint of petrol on nose, lovely acidity, fruits and minerality coming to the fore. Complex.
8. Cascina delle Rose. Barbaresco 2013, Rio Sordo: Red fruits to the fore with hints of dry cinnamon. Excellent acidity and soft tannins blended well. Powerful yet elegant.
9. Castello di Neive; Barbaresco 2013, Santo Stefano Albesani: Lots of petrol on nose with hints of wood tannins. Very minerally. Nice balance, maybe lacking a little fruit. Elegant.
10. Paitin di Pasquero Elia; Barbaresco 2013, Serraboella: Notes of red fruit and sweet basil on nose. Lovely acidity and tannins blended harmoniously giving the wine lots of elegance and finesse.
11. Nada Giuseppe; Barbaresco 2013, Casot. Beeswax, camphor, dried flowers on nose. Palate extremely rich with blend of tannins. Very elegant.

BARBARESCO RISERVA 2011/BAROLO RISERVA 2010

1. Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Gresy; Barbaresco Riserva 2011, Camp Gros Martinenga: Floral notes of dried flower, sweet spice. Nice acidity, tannins a bit harsh, complex and made to last.
2. Cantina del Pino; Barbaresco Riserva 2011, Ovello: Wonderful bouquet of roses and spice. A bit closed at the moment, but nice acidity with silky tannins. Very well-made wine.
3. Cascina Bruciata; Barbaresco Riserva 2011, Rio Sordo: A classic Nebbiolo, nose of red fruits, violets, some sweet spice. Complex. Silky tannins blended with the acidity. Extremely elegant and well-made wine.
4. Sarotto Roberto Az. Agr; Barbaresco Riserva 2011, Curra: Another impressive wine similar to the one above with classic Nebbiolo flavours of violets, red fruits and some spice. Impressive and elegant.
5.  Viberti Giovanni Az.Agr; Barolo Riserva 2010, Bricco Delle Viole: Wonderful flavours. Flowers, spice fruits are all there. Layers of supple tannins mixed with the acidity giving a long finish. Still young but will last a long time.
6. Ben Cenciurio; Barolo Riserva 2010, Coste di Rose: Exploding with flavours of ripe fruits, spice, minerals. Very silky tannins, good acidity, sweet aftertaste. A modern-style Barolo.
7. Ciabot Berton; Barolo Riserva 2010, Rocchettevino: An austere wine, expressing palate of dryness. Complex, with hints of truffle on the nose. Complex, modern style.
8. Conterno Franco; Barolo Riserva 2010, Bussia: Big, powerful, tannic wine with deep garnet colour. Pronounced flavour of new wood, yet complex with finesse. Well made wine.
9. Prunotto; Barolo Riserva 2010, Bussia Vigna Colonnello: Fabulously perfumed with notes of rose petals, raspberries and balsamic. Layers of supple tannins with a persistent long finish. Exceedingly well-made wine.
10. Grimaldi Bruna; Barolo Riserva 2010, Badarina: Beautiful complex nose, violets, tar, dried fruits. Austere on the palate. Soft tannins. Still very young but shows signs of greatness.