Punset

Marina Marcarino

Barbaresco + Langhe, Piemonte, Italy

History & Family Legacy

Punset was established in 1964 in Neive, one of the key communes of the Barbaresco appellation, by Marina Marcarino. While the Marcarino family had long-standing agricultural ties to the area, the founding of Punset marked a deliberate move toward estate-led, quality-focused wine production at a time when much of the Langhe remained oriented toward bulk wine and cooperative models.

Marcarino’s influence on the estate has been both practical and philosophical. Trained in agriculture, she brought an early awareness of soil health and environmental balance to her vineyard work—concerns that were far from widespread in Piemonte during the 1970s and early 1980s. Punset began converting its vineyards to organic farming well before it became fashionable, achieving formal certification in 1987. This step was less a statement than a reflection of farming convictions grounded in long-term viability and vine health.

The estate has remained modest in scale and firmly family-run, with continuity of approach taking precedence over growth. Over time, Punset has earned a reputation for reliability and stylistic coherence rather than dramatic evolution, positioning it quietly but securely within the Barbaresco landscape.

Vineyards & Terroir

Punset farms approximately 17 hectares of vineyards, the majority located within the Barbaresco zone around Neive, with additional parcels classified under the Langhe DOC. Key vineyard sites include Basarin and Campo Quadro, among others, spread across slopes with predominantly southern and southwestern exposures.

Vineyard elevations range roughly from 250 to 350 meters above sea level. The soils reflect the typical geology of eastern Barbaresco: calcareous marls with varying proportions of clay and sand. Compared with some of the more compact, mineral-driven soils found further west in the appellation, these formations tend to yield wines with a slightly softer tannic profile and earlier aromatic accessibility, while retaining Nebbiolo’s structural backbone.

The local climate is continental, characterized by warm summers and marked diurnal temperature variation during the growing season. Autumn conditions generally allow for slow, even ripening, an important factor for Nebbiolo. At Punset, these combined elements—soil, exposure, and climate—produce wines that emphasize clarity and balance rather than concentration alone.

Viticulture & Winemaking Philosophy

Organic viticulture is not an ancillary practice at Punset but a defining principle. Vineyard management focuses on maintaining biodiversity, limiting chemical intervention, and preserving soil structure. Yields are moderated through traditional pruning and vineyard work, with the aim of achieving consistent ripeness rather than pursuing extremes.

Winemaking follows a similarly restrained path. Fermentations are typically conducted with indigenous yeasts, allowing the vineyard's microbiological character to shape the wines. Temperature control is used carefully, supporting rather than directing the process.

Nebbiolo macerations are sufficiently long to extract structure and aromatic detail, but without an overt push toward power or tannic mass. Aging takes place predominantly in large oak casks, a choice aligned with traditional Barbaresco practice and intended to frame, rather than imprint, the wines. New oak is used sparingly, if at all.

Sulphur is employed with technical precision, applied only where necessary to protect wine stability and longevity. The resulting wines are bottled with an eye toward balance, transparency, and the capacity to evolve over time.

Indigenous Varieties & Signature Wines

Nebbiolo is central to Punset’s identity, most clearly expressed through its Barbaresco bottlings. Single-vineyard wines such as Barbaresco Basarin and Barbaresco Campo Quadro offer distinct interpretations of Neive’s varied slopes, highlighting differences in structure, aromatic profile, and aging trajectory without dramatic stylistic departures.

The estate also produces wines from other native Piedmontese varieties, including Barbera and Dolcetto, bottled under the Langhe appellations. These wines share the same measured approach found in the Barbarescos: moderate extraction, limited oak influence and an emphasis on freshness and drinkability.

Across the range, the house style favours definition over density, and longevity over immediate impact.

Critical Recognition

Punset has received consistent recognition from leading Italian wine guides, including Gambero Rosso and Slow Wine, particularly for its long-standing commitment to organic viticulture and its faithful expression of Barbaresco typicity. While not positioned as a headline-driven estate, its wines are regularly cited for their reliability and sense of place across vintages.

Why This Producer Matters

Punset occupies a distinctive position in Barbaresco: an early adopter of organic farming whose approach predates sustainability as a selling point, and a producer whose wines prioritize balance, site expression, and continuity over stylistic trend. For buyers and sommeliers, Punset offers a dependable lens on Nebbiolo from Neive—wines that speak clearly of origin, age with grace, and reward attention without demanding it.