Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata 2012

Roberto Voerzio's Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata 2012 is born from one of the most celebrated and historically recognised crus of the entire Barolo appellation, in the village of La Morra.

Renato Ratti's traditional classification already identified the Rocche dell'Annunziata as one of the prime sites for Nebbiolo, and the finest Barolo producers continue to hold parcels in this vineyard to benefit from its prestigious terroir. Here Voerzio produces one of his most admired Barolo, which precisely tells the grace and perfume of La Morra.

Roberto Voerzio's philosophy in the vineyard is radical and uncompromising: 6,000-8,000 vines per hectare (double the traditional Piedmontese average), very short pruning with 5-8 buds per plant, two successive seasonal green harvests and a final yield of just 500-700 grams of grapes per plant — compared with around 2 kg of the traditional average.

Fertilisation exclusively with cow manure and humus. Every cluster that remains on the cane is entirely responsible for the quality of the wine.

In the cellar no selected yeasts are added: fermentation takes place spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in steel containers for around 15 days, followed by malolactic fermentation.

Ageing takes place in used barriques and 20 hl casks for 24 months, then 8 months in steel and 8 months in bottle before release to the market. No filtration. A method that favours the purity of the raw material and the identity of the single cru.

On the nose the Rocche dell'Annunziata 2012 opens with a broad and enveloping bouquet: violet and dried dog rose dominate the floral profile, accompanied by cherries and red-fruit preserve, hints of mint, ripe spices, liquorice and mineral notes that recall the sand and silt soils of the cru. Elegance is the stylistic hallmark of this vineyard, more floral and fine than the other La Morra crus.

On the palate the 2012 — a warm and generous vintage in the Langhe — delivers a Barolo of enveloping structure and expansive drinkability: full body, fine and ripe silky tannins, vibrant acidity and a warm, persistent finish, with returns of crunchy fruit and minerality. It is probably the first of Voerzio's 2012 Barolo to open: already expressive and voluptuous today, with further evolutionary potential through to 2028-2030.