La Ca’ Növa Barbaresco ‘Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina’ 2022

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

About La Ca’ Növa

Marco’s vineyards are located in the commune of Barbaresco and include the prestigious crus of Monetefico and Montestefano, two of the best sites that are often referred to as being ‘baroloesque’ owing to their backbone and ageing capability. Located on the Eastern side of the commune and separated by a few hundred metres, Montestefano is a few hundred metres south of Montefico and was the first to be bottled as a single vineyard wine, by the legendary Beppe Colla (of Poderi Colla) in 1961.

This estate has been making outstanding, terroir-driven Barbarescos for generations. Pietro Rocca, the family’s smiling and modest patriarch, is a fourth generation “vignaiolo,” grape-grower. In the early 1970s, he began making and bottling Barbarescos himself.

Today Pietro is joined by his sons Marco, an enologist, and Ivan, an agronomist who tends to the vineyards.

La Ca’ Nova has been one of the hottest wineries in all of Piedmont over these last few years. “For us, 2020 was a drier and warmer year than 2021. Consequently, we had lower yields,” Marco Rocca explained. “Harvest started during the first week of October, whereas in 2021 we started a week later.” In 2021, the crus saw 35 days on the skins, with submerged cap maceration. The 2020s saw shorter time on the skins, 12-15 days for the straight Barbaresco and 28-30 for the crus, which were also bottled with a bit less time in cask. In tasting, the 2020s have closed down a ton, which is probably a positive for the long term. These remain some of the most exciting wines in Barbaresco. Fans of classically built wines who have not tasted La Ca’ Nova yet owe it to themselves to do so.

Antonio Galloni, Vinous

In the Vineyard

Montestefano, which produces famously-structured Barbarescos, the Roccas own prime parcels situated at 270 m above sea level with full southern exposures. And in Motefico, which has a similar altitude, with southern and southeastern exposure, and marl soil, the Roccas own the Bric Mentina vineyard. Local legend has it that Montefico was once owned by Domizio Cavazza, the founding father of Barbaresco.

La Ca’Nova Barbaresco D.O.C.G. “Montefico Vigna Bric Mentina”Vine Age: Average 30 years old. Soil: Calcareous limestone with sandy veins

La Ca’Nova Barbaresco D.O.C.G. “Montestefano” Age: Average 35 years old. Soil: Calcareous limestone with sandy veins

La Ca’Nova Barbaresco D.O.C.G.Age: Average 20 years old. Soil: Limestone rich in calcium with sandy veins

In the Winery

The firm adopts a strictly hands off approach in the winery, using only wild and native yeasts for fermentation which occurs primarily in steel tanks and three wooden conical bats, but with no temperature control. Just before fermentation is complete, the process continues with the antique tradition known as steccatura, whereby wooden planks keep the cap submerged in the tank. For the single-vineyard bottlings, fermentation and maceration generally take twenty-five to thirty days.

After fermentation, the Barbarescos are aged in 30 hectoliter casks. Instead of Slovenian oak, Pietro prefers Austrian oak: They are untoasted and neutral, and are the best-quality barrels I have ever seen. In fourteen years, not one has ever leaked a drop. Pietro recounts that eschewing barriques a decade ago was very difficult, especially since his children were pushing him to switch over. Now they’re glad we didn’t because these days there is a strong interest in traditionally crafted wines, but it was a battle for a few years, he says. The wines are unfiltered, and, though quintessential Barbarescos with finesse and structure, they are also extremely well priced.

Montestefano typically combines elegance and richness with a firm structure whilst Montefico is more austere with bracing tannins. The viticulture is sustainable and the wines are all made the same way, with 20-25 days of skin contact and aging for 20 months in large neutral botti.

Where in the World is La Ca’ Növa?

La Ca’ Növa is based in the Commune of Barbaresco, Barbaresco, Piedmont.

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