2022 Cascina delle Rose Barbaresco Rio Sordo

Sitting right at the base of the estate's historic headquarters, the Rio Sordo Cru is an absolute classic. Unlike its higher neighbour, Tre Stelle, the soils lower down in the valley run a bit deeper, packed with compact, calcareous clay and sand. This is a site that commands serious respect in the Langhe, and in a drought-heavy year like 2022, it was saved by the natural underground springs feeding the valley, allowing the fruit to ripen seamlessly. Riccardo quips that the tannins this year are "just over the edge," making for an incredibly compelling, detailed glass of wine. To match the thick-skinned fruit, the brothers utilized their large, old 2,000-litre Slovenian foudres for a patient 22-month elevage, allowing the wine's natural brawn to soften up beautifully without the heavy imprint of small oak format. In the glass, this shows a darker, more brooding personality. The fruit spectrum leans toward black cherry and raspberry compote, layered with wild Mediterranean herbs, sweet spice, and a distinctive lick of iron-like minerality. It is broader and more muscular on the palate, yet it retains that hallmark Cascina delle Rose succulence and nerve. It is an excellent, structure-driven Barbaresco that is approachable today but has the architecture to go the distance in the cellar.