2019 Cascina Roccalini Barbaresco DOCG, Piedmont, Italy

ABOUTPaolo Veglio founded Cascina Roccalini in 2003 after havingfarmed Nebbiolo for nearly a decade and selling the fruit to someof the most well known wineries in Piemonte. His greatgrandfather bought the property in 1920 for the equivalent of 250Euros. The winery doesn't carry any certifications, but Paolofollows organic and biodynamic practices. Paolo knew from ayoung age that he wanted to grow grapes and make wine. He beganapprenticing with farmers and winemakers at the age of 14. It wasthen that he discovered "I didn't want to sit behind a desk, Iwanted to work the fields." VINEYARDThe Roccalini vineyard has plantings going back as far as 1961. Itsits at a southwestern exposure on a hill overlooking the TanaroRiver at 1,000 ft elevation. The soil is a combination of clay andmarl. Paolo believes the freshness of his wines comes from the claysoils. The grapes for the Barbaresco come from the most matureplantings. Paolo is the only one farming grapes at this site andhe no longer sells any of his fruit. WINEMAKINGWhile Paolo handles the farming himself, his mother assists him inthe cellar. The Barbaresco ferments spontaneously in concretetanks. They do not punch down the wines, they prefer to use thetraditional steccatura method to keep the cap submerged. Thisallows for a slower, longer maceration and more depth of flavor.The wines are aged for 18 months in Slavonian oak and bottledunfined and unfiltered.