Pulin: Varietal Confusion

A friend recently wrote, asking about Pulin, a red wine made by Riccardo Bruna in Liguria's Riviera di Ponente: The importer said it was a Rossese di Dolceacqua, but he didn't think so -- an online source he found says, "60% granaccia, 20% rossese, 20% barbera, 2/3 aged in steel and 1/3 in older barriques," while the 2006 Gambero Rosso guide says it's a blend of grenache, barbera, syrah, and cinsault. Could I check?

One of the advantages of living in Italy and speaking Italian is that I can easily pick up the phone and call:

Francesca Bruna says Pulin, which is a Colline Savonesi, is a blend of roughly 46% Granaccia, 46% Syrah, and 8% loose bunch (as oppesed to compact bunch) Barbera, which ferments in steel, spends a year in 2-year-old barriques, another year in bottle, and is then released. No Rossese at all, and she stressed that Rossese is used to make a simple quaffing wine, while Pulin is considerably more serious.

In terms of the varietals, she says that Granaccia is what is known as Grenache in France, and has always grown in this part of Liguria, so one can correctly call it autochthonous. The Syrah is instead French, and they decided to include it because it confers a Mediterranean feel to the wine. The Barbera instead provides acidity.

Francesca's presentation of the winery, in Italian, alas