Notes:

The 2023 Barbaresco is a lovely, understated wine. There’s gorgeous translucence here that comes through in the wine’s floral, mid-weight personality, soft fruit and light to mid-weight personality. This is an understated style for La Ca’ Nova, but it works. I would prefer to drink this on the early side. - Antonio Galloni 90

Producer: La Ca’ Nova is a small, family-run estate in the village of Barbaresco, where the Rocca family farms vineyards that include parcels in Montefico and Montestefano, two of the commune’s recognized crus. Marco Rocca leads the estate today, continuing a traditional approach centered on Nebbiolo and large-format oak rather than a heavily polished or modern style. The estate has developed a strong following for Barbaresco that emphasizes perfume, freshness and site expression, producing wines that remain firmly rooted in the traditional character of the Langhe.

Vineyard: The 2023 Barbaresco is the estate’s village-level bottling, produced from Nebbiolo grown within the commune of Barbaresco, including fruit from Ovello, Cole and Loreto. The vineyards are planted on the calcareous soils characteristic of this part of the Langhe. Rather than isolating a single cru, the bottling brings together several parcels to give a broader expression of Barbaresco. The 2023 vintage produced a particularly transparent and approachable expression, with the freshness and aromatic character of Nebbiolo at the forefront.

Winemaking: The 2023 Barbaresco is made using traditional methods, with an extended maceration designed to extract Nebbiolo’s aromatics, structure and fine tannins gradually. The wine spends approximately 30 days on the skins, including a period of submerged-cap maceration, before aging for approximately 14 months in large oak casks. The use of large-format, neutral oak keeps the emphasis on the fruit and vineyard character rather than oak flavor. The result is a classic, restrained style of Barbaresco with freshness, perfume and structure.

Technical Details: 100% Nebbiolo; 2023 vintage; Barbaresco DOCG; Piedmont, Italy; vineyards within the commune of Barbaresco, including Ovello, Cole and Loreto; calcareous soils; approximately 30 days of skin contact; submerged-cap maceration; approximately 14 months of aging in large oak casks; 750ml.

Food Pairing: The floral aromatics, red fruit, fresh acidity and fine Nebbiolo tannins make this a natural match for classic Piedmontese cooking. Pair it with tajarin with ragù, agnolotti del plin, braised beef, veal, roasted pork, duck or mushroom risotto. Dishes featuring porcini mushrooms or truffles are particularly well suited to Nebbiolo’s combination of perfume and savory character. For cheese, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, Castelmagno and other firm, mature cheeses are excellent choices.