Pre Arrival La Ca’ Nova Barbaresco Montestefano 2023

Notes:

The 2023 Barbaresco Montestefano offers a bit more mid-palate resonance than the Montefico tasted alongside, as one might expect. Macerated wild cherry, tobacco, incense, dried herbs and mocha are nicely amplified. Even so, this remains a decidedly mid-weight wine that is more finesse than power in this vintage. - Antonio Galloni 93

Producer: La Ca’ Nova is a small, family-run estate in the village of Barbaresco, where the Rocca family has been growing grapes for generations and bottling its own wines since the 1970s. Marco Rocca oversees the winemaking, while his brother Ivan works in the vineyards. The estate is particularly known for its traditional Barbarescos from Montestefano and Montefico, two distinct vineyard sites within the Barbaresco commune. La Ca’ Nova favors traditional cellar practices, including extended maceration and maturation in large oak casks, keeping the focus on Nebbiolo and the individual character of each vineyard.

Vineyard: Montestefano is one of the recognized MGAs of Barbaresco and one of La Ca’ Nova’s most important vineyard holdings. Located immediately east of the village of Barbaresco, the vineyard has a predominantly southern exposure and strongly calcareous soils. Montestefano has historically been associated with structured, substantial expressions of Nebbiolo, and it provides an interesting contrast to La Ca’ Nova’s Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina. In 2023, however, the distinction is more about additional mid-palate resonance than outright power, with the vintage giving the wine a decidedly mid-weight, finesse-driven character.

Winemaking: The 2023 Montestefano is 100% Nebbiolo and is vinified using La Ca’ Nova’s traditional approach. The wine undergoes an extended period of skin contact, including submerged-cap maceration using the traditional steccatura technique. It is then matured in large oak casks rather than small new barrels. This restrained élevage avoids prominent oak influence and allows the vineyard’s fruit, aromatics and natural tannic structure to remain at the forefront.

Technical Details: 100% Nebbiolo; 2023 vintage; Barbaresco DOCG; Montestefano MGA; Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy; predominantly south-facing vineyard; strongly calcareous soils; traditional extended maceration; submerged-cap steccatura; matured in large oak casks; 14.5% ABV; 750ml.

Food Pairing: Montestefano’s combination of Nebbiolo acidity, savory complexity and structured tannins makes it particularly well suited to substantial dishes. Pair it with braised beef, osso buco, roast lamb, veal, duck or tajarin with a slow-cooked meat ragù. Porcini mushrooms, mushroom risotto and dishes featuring truffles complement the wine’s earthy and aromatic side particularly well. Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, Castelmagno and other firm, mature cheeses are also natural matches.

Vins Rare