Azienda Agricola Sottimano Barbaresco Cottà 2018

Azienda Agricola Sottimano farms the Cottà vineyard in Neive, one of the historic crus of the Barbaresco zone in Piedmont. The estate works the vines closely and prefers to let the wine express itself with little intervention in the cellar. Cottà sits on the calcareous marl of the Langhe, soils that lend Nebbiolo its perfume and a chalky tannic spine, while the 2018 vintage gave a fresh, aromatic style at 14.5 percent. Nebbiolo carries high tannin and acidity, so the wine spends twelve months in barrel, where slow oxygen exchange through the wood rounds the tannins and knits the fruit and oak together. The colour is pale garnet, typical of the grape, with a nose of black cherry and plum interwoven with liquorice and a smoky note, backed by rose and dried herbs. The palate is structured and savoury, with bright acidity and fine, persistent tannin running into a long finish. Decant for an hour and serve at 17 to 18 degrees in a wide glass. Match it with braised meats, mushroom dishes and mature hard cheese.