Barbaresco ‘Gaia Principe’

HISTORY  Hand-crafted from field to bottle, craft shared as tradition from generation to generation—this is what makes Barbaresco from Azienda Agricola Ronchi so special.

Winemaker Giancarlo Rocca and now four 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.

Although we have worked with the Rocca family for more than a decade, their peerless Nebbiolo wines are still an insider’s find. The “Ronchi” cru runs along the eastern edge of the appellation, near the historic town of Neive. Bordered by ‘Montestefano’ to the north, where Nebbiolo shows a deep complexity and elegant tannins, and ‘Moccagatta’ (Muncagota) 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 deliciously unforgettable.

 

VINEYARDS & WINEMAKING  For more than four generations, the Rocca family has lived surrounded by the vines of the ‘Ronchi’ cru in Barbaresco. The vineyards are part of the family; winemaker Giancarlo Rocca can walk from his cellar door to his Nebbiolo vines in less than a minute. Needless to say all work is performed by hand, and as sustainably as possible. 

 

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 exploring aging wines in terracotta amphorae, and from his successful efforts has created a new line of amphora-aged wines. 

The estate’s new Barbaresco is a dream wine, full of floral intensity and flavorful depth. A selection of fruit from cru ‘Gaia Principe’ near Neive, one of Barbaresco’s leading vineyards. A lovely Nebbiolo with grace and poise.

Aromas of red cherries, baking spice, rose petal; medium-bodied, with grippy tannins and an earthy finish.