German
Rocca in the Heart of Barbaresco
Strada Rabajà 60
12050 Barbaresco, Italy
Winery Size 14 ha
The winery is located at the southern entrance to the village of Barbaresco, right in the Rabaja vineyard. This is not only the estate’s largest vineyard but, together with Curra, also the winery’s finest vineyard. Both crus, characterized by heavy clay mixed with calcareous marl, are not located directly on the Tanaro riverbed, which somewhat mitigates the cooling influence of the plain. The climate here is very balanced—warm, yet with drying winds from the plain—allowing Francesco to harvest the grapes extremely late. He seeks the perfect ripeness of the Nebbiolo so that he can work with extended maceration in his Barbarescos. A slightly higher yield and organic farming practices help him to be one of the last in the region to harvest, yet still produce wines that shine with freshness and juiciness.
In the cellar at the Rabaja vineyard
The Nebbiolo is now aged exclusively in large, old wooden barrels for at least 12 months. Rocca’s style is aromatically open—especially in the Barbarescos, which feature plenty of spice and balsamic notes—and on the palate, it is firm and tightly structured, characterized by a robust texture with chalky nuances. These characteristics stem, on the one hand, from the magnificent terroir and, on the other, from the winemaking process. For Barbaresco wines, the wine remains on the lees for 40–60 days, and after fermentation is complete, the pomace is pressed down to enhance extraction. Nevertheless, Rocca’s wines possess impressive finesse and balance.
Especially in the base wines, this robust style helps transform the region’s other grape varieties into great wines. Here, maceration is significantly shorter and is usually ended once the grapes have finished ripening. The juicy Dolcetto at Rocca is truly magnificent, offering grip and texture; for us, it’s the region’s finest expression of the variety and the perfect example of why this grape is grown. Added to this is a focused, dark-berried, and tightly structured Barbera—the only wine aged in used barriques—and a juicy, delicate, and lively Lange Nebbiolo, which rounds out this fantastic series from the Rocca family.