Albino Rocca Barbaresco Cott 2020

This is the fourth release of Roccas Barbaresco Cott, one of the great Crus of Neive. Cott was one of the first sites in Barbaresco to be produced as a single vineyard. The Roccas work with a micro-parcel of 50-year-old vines in the middle of the southwest-facing slope, adjacent to their Gepin (Barbera) parcel and directly facing the Ronchi vineyard. It is a tiny holding, producing no more than 2,000 bottles annually. The sand-rich clay/marl soils and warmer microclimate produce generous yet fine wines that marry beautifully with Roccas elegant interpretation of Nebbiolo.

Young as it is, theres already a cracking fusion of sweet cherry, hoisin and tea leaf flavours backed by textural prowess and impressive tension. The profile is prettier than Ronchi, with market-fresh red berries interwoven with integrated, fine-boned tannins and puckering acidity. Perhaps the laciest and most approachable of the Crus this year, it is an absolute standout.