2012 Barbaresco Ovello Vigna Loreto

Albino Rocca is one of the most intriguing estates in Barbaresco right now. For years, Angelo Rocca was one of the leaders of the modern school in Piedmont. His wines were rich, lush and flamboyant, just like Rocca himself. Sadly, Rocca passed away in a light airplane crash in the fall of 2012. I had seen him just a few weeks earlier, as the Moscato was coming in, a poignant reminder of how quickly things can change. Today, Angelo Rocca's three daughters Daniela, Monica and Paola and their spouses run the estate with both total admiration for everything Angelo Rocca achieved and the knowledge that evolution is a natural part of life. So, 2012 is the first vintage here in which macerations started to become longer, which reflects a move towards a style that is more in the middle of the road than it was a few years ago. The potential here remains significant, so it will be fascinating to watch how things unfold in the coming years.