Dolcetto, Langhe Nebbiolo, and Barbaresco from Cascina delle Rose

One of the most satisfying bottles to grace our shelves this time of year is the Dolcetto d'Alba from Cascina delle Rose. It checks so many boxes. It's medium-bodied enough to drink on its own but will easily stand up to roasted root vegetables and heartier fare. It has an elegance and structure that reminds me of Lapierre Morgon from a decade ago (when that wine was closer to $30). Then we had to convince people it wasn't Beaujolais Nouveau. Here, we are convincing people that Dolcetto is not always the neglected understudy of Barolo and Barbaresco but can be a true showstopper when allowed to take center stage. 

Though for now, Cascina delle Rose is one of the few to pull this off.Of course, prices have gone up everywhere and where this wine was $30 a year ago, it's now $36. We all know why. So through the weekend we're offering 10% off all the Cascina delle Rose wines — Dolcetto, Langhe Nebbiolo, and yes the Barbarescos — with the code DELLEROSE10.

Cascina delle Rose's charm does not stop with it's everyday wines: they make my favorite Barbarescos as well. They are fine boned, layered, ageworthy expressions of Nebbiolo that show a far more delicate side of Barbaresco, so much that they feel like outliers. This is no coincidence, as the small estate's history and style has been outside the norm in Barbaresco for over 30 years, as Giovanna Rizzolio and her family have gone for low-intervention cellar practices, gentle macerations, and minimal sulfur in an attempt to better capture terroir. With their graceful touch, the past few releases have delivered the goods for me when many Burgundies of the same price have felt like an exercise in rationalization.

The matriarch of Cascina delle Rose is Giovanna Rizzolio, who began making wine there in 1992 after buying the estate from her relatives. She was an outsider not just as a woman winemaker but as an emigré from the faraway reaches of Alba — three miles away from Barbaresco (apparently, yes, it was really that provincial back then). She only added to her outlaw status by farming organically and opening the first agriturismo in the region, inviting actual foreigners to stay overnight in Barbaresco.Her sons Riccardo and Davide have been making the wines since 2017 and they have stuck firmly to Giovanna's approach. They still are an extremely small operation, only 5.5 hectares of vines plus a few more of olive trees, hazelnuts, and forest. The wines are still the opposite of the big, bombastic modern wines that began to dominate the region in the 1990s. But they are not auster. Their low-tech methods make tensile, filigreed wines that capture Nebbiolo's remarkable brooding richness without turning it into a stunt. To me, they simply turn down the volume in order to shift your attention to even more exciting details. As a result, they grab me in a way that few other Barbarescos do.

From the Rio Sordo vineyard, fermented and aged in steel, with two weeks of skin maceration. Immediately the aromas are bewitching and heady with notes of bergamot, cardamom, and bing cherry. The palate is medium but with a sneaky richness and silky texture complemented by savory notes of sage and green peppercorn. The tannins are ripe and deftly balanced and the finish is long and satiating. A beautiful, elevated expression of Dolcetto that will pair with nearly anything from roasted root vegetables to duck to sipping on your sofa.

From younger vines in the Tre Stelle Barbaresco vineyard, macerated for 10-14 days and aged in steel tank. It's a wine with depth and detailed tannin that stays quite fresh and lithe. Notes of hibiscus, bright cherry, almonds, and sage. The chewy tannins are meaty enough but not aggressive. They are a terrific complement to the silky umami and ripe fruit. This is a Langhe Nebbiolo that will easily go head to head with Barabaresco at the same price, and may even be better for drinking now. This delivers all the haunting foggy beauty of great Piedmont Nebbiolo.

Single vineyard planted in 1958 on calcareous clay with sand, facing south/southwest. 30 day maceration and 22 months aging in Slavonian cask. No filtration, minimal sulfur. Rio Sordo is the estate's flagship wine, full bodied, deep, and chiseled.

Vines planted in 1972 and 1978 on clay and chalk. 30 day maceration and 22 months aging in Slavonian oak, no filtering and low sulfur. Tre Stelle is their most fine-boned and tensile wine, with chalky texture, roses, and peppery umami. Drink now with a decant or age for 5-20 years.

From two parcels planted on clay, sandstone, and chalk, one planted in 1944, the other in 1996. 30 day maceration followed by 22 months in large Slavonian oak. No filtration and low sulfur. Focused, concentrated black cherry, black tea, and a detailed, chalky finish. This is the most approachable Barbaresco in our collection now, but it will easily age for a decade or two.