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The 1978 vintage for Piedmont was exemplary.
The growing season began poorly with chilly, wet winter and the less-than-ideal conditions meandered into spring which saw the cool weather continue and bouts of rain particularly in both April and May. As a result, both budburst and flowering were delayed and disrupted cutting yields and temperatures only really began to improve in June. The months of June, July, and August saw warmer, sunnier conditions although the weather remained cooler than normal and residual dampness hung in the air causing problems with both humidity and downy mildew. Early September saw a touch of rain but, after it blew over, the weather took a sudden turn and hot, dry conditions arrived bringing with them the strong diurnal difference in temperatures typical of late summer and autumn. These hot, dry days and cool nights proved idyllic for slow-ripening Nebbiolo, gently ushering the grapes to phenolic ripeness in time for the October harvest.
Unsurprisingly, the crop was smaller than usual, a direct result of the not-so-good conditions at the start of the year, but the quality of the grapes was exceptionally good. The resulting wines were brilliant and both Barolo and Barbaresco tended to have the fruit, structure, tannin, and acidity necessary for long-term aging.
Overall, the 1978 Piedmont vintage was a fantastic year and many of the wines were superb
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