Ronchi Barbaresco – Sustainable

Winemaker Giancarlo Rocca and three generations of the Rocca clan live in a house built by the family, surrounded by ‘Ronchi’ cru vines. This natural amphitheater not only captures the sun to push Nebbiolo to perfect ripeness but also is stunningly picturesque.

Their peerless Nebbiolo wines are still an insider’s find. The “Ronchi” cru runs along the southern edge of the appellation, near the historic town of Barbaresco. Bordered by ‘Montestefano’ to the north, where Nebbiolo shows a deep complexity and elegant tannins, and ‘Moccagatta’ to the south, the source of silky Nebbiolo with delicate yet intense perfumes, ‘Ronchi’ combines the best of all these attributes in a wine that is unforgettable.

The vineyards are part of the family; winemaker Giancarlo Rocca can walk from his breakfast table to his Nebbiolo vines in less than a minute. Needless to say all work is performed by hand, and as sustainably as possible. No herbicides or pesticides are used. Grapes are harvested by hand, destemmed, then fermented in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks. Wines are aged, depending on the cru, in either Slavonian oak casks or a combination of French oak barrel and cask. In recent vintages, Giancarlo has been experimenting with aging wines in terracotta amphorae. All wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Aromas of black cherries, licorice, game, light smoke; full-bodied and concentrated yet balanced, with moderate tannins and good length. Great aging potential. Ronchi Barbaresco is a wine of tremendous power and structure. Dried cherry, menthol, licorice, spice, pine, and scorched earth add to an impression of virile power. The aromatics open up beautifully with time in the glass. Pair with grilled red meat; pork sausages; mushroom dishes