In 2012, the patriarch of the Rocca family, Angelo, passed away suddenly. What better way to honour his legacy than a proudly Barbaresco made in the classic style? Crafted in a single 2,000-litre cask, this red is a wonderful wine too - it's powerful but elegant, in a way that Nebbiolo does so well. You'd probably call it a medium-bodied red, but a seriously intense one, with lucid red fruit and tannins that feel like a breath of fresh air. A majestic, magical red wine that you can't help but admire (and gladly drink).

To appreciate the wines of Albino Rocca it’s helpful to understand the back story to the producer. Early on, in the 1940s, Albino Rocca’s grandfather, Giacomo, paved the way by turning the family vineyard in Barbaresco into a well-regarded source of fruit for local winemakers. Inspired by the wines that were made from his fruit, Giacomo began to ferment a little wine himself. Now the Rocca family have collected more amazing vineyards and they are no longer selling their fruit or wines just locally, but throughout the world. Initially focussed on Nebbiolo, Barbaresco’s greatest expression, they have added in Barbera and Dolcetto into their annual bottlings also. In the vineyards they have been reducing the use of herbicides and pesticides with leanings towards organics, whilst also improving winemaking methods and how the wines are aged. The preference is for huge oak barrels which maintain the purity of fruit and help keep the expression of the fruit and the vineyard focussed.