Rocche Costamagna Barolo ‘Rocche dell'Annunziata’ DOCG 2020

Rocche Costamagna Barolo ‘Rocche dell'Annunziata’ comes from a single vineyard of 3.2 hectares located within the historic La Morra Cru of the same name. It is an elegant and fresh style of Nebbiolo with delicate notes of rose, aromatic herbs, balsamic and Asian spice behind the rich dark red fruit of cherry, raspberry and plum. The wine possesses the most amazing balance of powerful fruit, intriguing spice and intense freshness that sets it apart from many others.

Rocche Costamagna is located within the town of La Morra itself and is run today by Alessandro Locatelli. Alessandro is a direct descendant of the winery’s founder, Francesco Antonio Costamagna, who started the it in the early 1800s. The first record of the winery comes from 1841 when Francesco’s son, Luigi, was granted permission to sell “the wines produced from his own vineyards in La Morra”. The vineyards and winery were given a massive overhaul in the 1970s by Alessandro’s parents, Claudio and Giorgio. Claudio also created the “La Ca dj’Armis” (The Friends’ House), which is a cultural centre bringing together local art, history, books and gastronomy. Together, they provided the foundations for Alessandro to build on and the platform to create the wines we know today.

Alessandro has created a style of wine which we fell in love with. The wines could be described as traditional, with an emphasis on elegance and charm rather than being muscular and oaky. They drink well in their youth and are characterised by vibrant red fruit and subtle complex oak notes. The wines are aged in large, Slovenian oak barrels, except for the Barbera, which is put into small French barriques. The wines have a real sense of place and highlight the attraction of Nebbiolo at its finest.