Who could have foreseen that Angelo Rocca would so tragically get off days on a foggy autumn day in October 2012 in his ultralight plane? It is a little strange that this charismatic, energetic, and sometimes restless friend is no longer among us.
The property was founded in 1950, but the earliest bottlings from this manufacturer are from around 1960. A crucial turning point in the property’s history occurred in 1988 when Angelo Rocca met – and was wine-inspired by – Elio Altare. Sympathetic Angelo soon established himself as a Barbaresco specialist and even believed that 1991 was the first vintage of the desired Barbaresco style.
There are now 15 hectares of vineyards, predominantly in Barbaresco and a little in Neive, as well as 8 hectares in S. Rocco Seno d’Elvio. The area, located west of Treiso in the direction of Alba, is today a resident of Alba municipality, but with Barbaresco status. The annual production is approx. 135,000 bottles, almost 8 ha are dedicated to Nebbiolo da Barbaresco. This gives approx. 38,000 bottles, distributed on Ronchi and Loreto in the municipality of Barbaresco, and the new holdings on the excellent cru Montersino, which is divided between Treiso and San Rocco Seno d’Elvio, from which a Barbaresco was first produced in 2001, without indicating the field, as these are grapes from young plants.
Stylistically, there have been several radical changes in recent years at Albino Rocca. Previously, you did not go out of your way to ferment at relatively high initial temperatures (up to 39 degrees Celsius!) Today, you do not go above 30/31 degrees Celsius. The use of rotofermentators today is far more gentle than in the past. Previous years’ rather intensive barrique storage at Brich Ronchi, with the 2006 vintage, has been replaced by a mere 4% new barrique storage, 16% used barriques and 80% 20 hl. botti. This makes wine less saturated than before. Today, Ronchi appears significantly more elegant and refined with lovely raw fruit.
The daughter Paola, who studied at the enology school in Alba, as well as her husband Carlo, also an ecologist, are today the guarantors of the production. They were both already responsible for most of the winemaking. Paola’s two sisters, Daniela and Monica, also now work full-time in the company.