2021 Barbaresco Cotta DOCG

With fruit from a half-hectare south-facing parcel in Neive, the 2021 Barbaresco Cottà is not as immediately floral or fragrant as the village Barbaresco presented this year by Albino Rocca. This wine opens at a slower pace to reveal dark cherry fruit, candied orange peel and smoky licorice. It's a slow-moving Barbaresco that continues to show more depth and interesting angles the longer it stays in the glass. This bottle registers the highest alcohol content (at 15%) of the three single-vineyard expressions presented this year. Only 2,300 bottles were made. The Albino Rocca team (Paola, Monica, Daniela and Carlo) have recently acquired an additional four hectares of vines in the Meruzzano MGA in Treiso. The site is currently planted to Chardonnay, Moscato, Dolcetto and Nebbiolo.

The 2021 Barbaresco Cottá is another stellar wine from the Rocca family. Deep and beautifully layered in the glass, the 2021 packs a serious punch. Black cherry, plum, lavender, licorice, cloves and menthol are all amplified in a deep, statuesque Barbaresco that delivers the goods. This is one of the most beautiful, vivid and complex wines I have ever tasted here. What a knockout!

Neive. Just mid ruby. Rich raspberry fruit with hints of dark spice and pepper. Plenty of concentration of fruit on the palate but the whole is compact and tied in by the sandy tannins. Lots of juicy fruit on the finish. (WS)