Cottá Barbaresco DOCG 2023

Wine description for Cottá Barbaresco DOCG 2023 by Sottimano

Patience is rewarded – and with the Cottá, this rule applies twice over. Andrea Sottimano leaves his Nebbiolo on the skins for up to forty days, long after others would have pressed off. The result is a Barbaresco that already offers an exuberant bouquet, yet will only reveal its true character in a few years’ time. The Cottà vineyard site, situated right next to the estate in Neive, is considered the most fruit-driven of the house’s five single vineyards – and precisely that is what makes the 2023 so irresistibly youthful.

Colour & appearance

Transparent ruby red, glossy and of medium density – typically youthful Nebbiolo without any haze whatsoever.

Nose

Powerful and fleshy on the attack: hollyhocks and an almost broth-like depth, then the fruit breaks through – sour cherries, rose hips, pomegranate. Behind them, tobacco, a hint of iodine, discreet smoke and an ethereal note reminiscent of sandalwood. A powerhouse that demands large glasses.

Palate

Silky entry, followed by juice and drive: rich, extract-laden fruit carried by a finely chiselled acidity that stretches far across the palate. The tannins are tightly woven and velvety, with an aromatically bitter overtone – perceptible, yet never harsh.

Finish

Long and vibrant, with pressure and transparent aromatics. A youngster with a clear promise of maturity – decanting is essential, or better still: a few years of bottle ageing.

Terroir & origin

The Cottà in Neive, on the border with the commune of Barbaresco, is the estate’s historic core vineyard site – the winery itself stands here. A south-westerly exposure and clay-limestone soils with sandy elements lend fullness, structure and the striking tannic framework. Many vines in the Sottimano vineyard sites are fifty to sixty years old.

Grape variety & vinification

Pure Nebbiolo, hand-harvested and spontaneously fermented. The long maceration with a submerged cap draws colour and structure from the skins; ageing takes place for around 18 to 22 months in French barriques, only partly new. Bottled unfiltered.

Food recommendations

With braised ox cheek, beef roast cooked in Barolo, tajarin with white truffle or mature Castelmagno. Game ragout and robust mushroom dishes also suit it beautifully.

Special features

Sottimano has farmed his vineyards under organic certification for over forty years – herbicides and synthetic fertilisers were never an option here. In the cellar: wild yeasts, no filtration, no haste. The combination of the opulent Cottà fruit and this unhurried patience makes the wine one of the most honest Barbarescos of its generation.