Gracious, understated Barbarescos that impress with their impeccable balance.
Antonio Galloni
2021 Barbaresco, Ovello, Vigna Loreto, Albino Rocca
£195 per 6 bottle case in bond
2021 Barbaresco, Cottà, Albino Rocca
£195 per 6 bottle case in bond
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‘Readers who have not tasted these wines recently owe it to themselves to do so, as the transformation here of late towards wines of purity and finesse is significant.’ Antonio Galloni, vinous.com (September 2022).
Sometimes you can sense subtle change at an estate – sometimes by the energy about the place, or the pride with which the producer talks about their wines, even their beaming smiles, but most of all, of course, when you get the chance to taste, and your already lofty expectations are exceeded, or in fact completely blown away. This is what happened when I tasted the stunning 2021s at Albino Rocca in Barbaresco.
I have rated the wines of Albino Rocca highly in the last few vintages, but I don’t think they have previously excelled like they have excelled in the 2021 vintage – everything seems to have aligned beautifully. No critic has yet reviewed, so you’ll have to take it from me – these wines are special.
Change here began much earlier. Since 2004 they started moving towards the use of larger, more neutral, 20 hectolitre casks, which has allowed for a significantly heightened expression of the outstanding single vineyards that Angelo Rocca had carefully added from the 1960s.
Galloni once described the wines of Albino Rocca as ‘gracious, understated Barbarescos that impress with their impeccable balance.’ Adding that ‘Over the last handful of years farming and winemaking have evolved in the direction of greater finesse’. This is certainly borne out in our own tastings at their remodelled winery with a terrific terrace that permits panoramic views over the vineyard of Ronchi. Albino Rocca should be registering on any Barbaresco wine lover’s radar – maybe the 2021s will draw more attention to an incredibly fairly priced range of wines.
The Albino Rocca estate dates back to the 1940s, when Albino’s father, Giacomo, sold grapes from the family vineyards and started to make his own wine. Albino’s son, Angelo, established the estate on a firmer footing, adding vineyards in now highly regarded Barbaresco Cru from the 1960s onwards. His passion for the vineyards of the region was matched by his passion for flying. Sadly, he died when his plane crashed in 2012 and today it is his three daughters Daniela, Monica, and Paola as well as his son-in-law, Carlo, who run the estate.
Based in Barbaresco itself, Albino Rocca has vines in four different Cru vineyards, namely Cotta (in Nieve), Ronchi and Ovello (in Barbaresco), Montersino (in Treiso). As mentioned, the style here has gently shifted over time, moving away from a heavier oak accent towards a style that is marked by greater fruit purity and freshness, one in which each Cru is so clearly expressed, the pendulum having swung back to embrace a more traditional winemaking style. The results are outstanding.
You are going to hear more and more on the 2021 vintage in Piemonte – both Barolo and Barbaresco have produced wines of outstanding quality and finesse in this vintage. In fact, I believe them to be more finessed than the 2019s and potentially rivals to the great 2016s. And I don’t make the last comment lightly.
A few words on the 2021 vintage – you’ll hear much more when the Barolo start to be released from next January.
Winter rain and some snow replenished ground water, something that was very much needed as the summer proved to be notably dry, after a mild March and cool April/May. This cool period did not trouble the flowering nor the fruit-set of Nebbiolo. June proved to be warm, as did July – but the July temperatures were well below average. Summer brought with it the occasional rainstorm, but temperatures never soared, suggesting a late harvest could be on the cards. One storm in August brought a little hail, but the vast majority of Barbaresco was unscathed. In mid-August, the temperatures finally picked up, reaching just about 35 degrees. September continued to be warm, but the diurnal shift was key as the nights turned much fresher, a factor that really assists the ripening cycle of Nebbiolo. In all, this vintage was not far off the model for Piemonte – ample soil water reserves from the winter, a warm but not stifling summer, and a late harvest in line with classic vintages with the all-important shift between day and nighttime temperatures. It will come as no surprise that this registers as a remarkably fine vintage.
Two outstanding wines to consider - no critic has yet published their notes on these releases so please see my notes below.
2021 Barbaresco, Ovello, Vigna Loreto, Albino Rocca
£195 per 6 bottle case In bond
The Loreto vineyard is situated within the larger, historic, Ovello Cru in Barbareso itself. This is one of the estate’s longest held vineyards and the vines are between 35 and 40 years old, planted at 240 metres above sea level with a south-easterly aspect in a sandy subsoil that yields wines of elegance and charm. Sadly, from a mere 0.5 hectares, Albino Rocca produces just 3,000 bottles.
Much more scented, redder fruits than the Cotta. This has a sensational set of aromatics, much more open, with rose, mint and scented orange peel adding intrigue to juicy red fruits. This vintage shows in a very complete manner – it has a fine depth of fruit, but is already showing a certain degree of charm, with such purity to the fruit. Stylish, elegant and with a lightness of touch, though, in such a vintage, there is a sense of energy and depth that ratchets this up in my estimations. A beautiful expression of the Ovello Cru, long, pure and underpinned by a saline, minerally nuance. I found it hard to put the glass down! So good. (SL) Drink 2025-2037.
2021 Barbaresco, Cottà, Albino Rocca
£195 per 6 bottle case in bond
Cottà is situated in Neive and borders Rabaja and Ronchi. The Rocca family purchased their parcel, which benefits from south-west exposure, in the 1970s but it has only bottled as a Cru since 2015, previously being part of a blend. The soil is a blend of limestone, light-clay and sand. The vines date back to 1962 and 1996. It has a reputation for producing long-lived wines. The wine is vinified in oak and then aged for at least 20 months in German and Austrian oak botti. Just 2000 bottles are produced on average per annum.
The 2012 Cottà shows a little more power, packed with juicy dark fruits, with notes of tobacco and spice. This possesses a captivating fruit – like small, sweetly ripe black berry and cherry. For all its intensity, it is incredibly finely expressed – undoubtedly it possesses the ability to age, but the tannins are sleek and fine and the acidity beautifully integrated. This just gets better and better in the glass and, with air, notes of liquorice and menthol come to the fore. A head-turning Barbaresco – beautifully crafted and expressive. This is a stunner. (SL) Drink 2026-2038.