Cascina delle Rose
From an on site visit May 2017
2015 shares a certain Character with 2009, colors of nebbiolo are cooked out here and there, alcohols are high and unlike 11 they are noticeable,
Once again these wines wow with their delicacy and finesse. This is the Bartolo Mascarello of Barbaresco. Though in saying that it might seem that I am giving short shrift to their Dolcetto and Barbera, which are as good as they come. A small producer, so these wines will never be that easy to find but the quality is high and prices remain relatively low so if your see them you owe it to yourself to grab a few examples to sample.
The reason for the quality here appears clear: it is truly a family business. Not that that in itself is a particular guarantee of quality, though one finds such a passion, love of the land, and conviction in organic farming among the family that it is easy to see why the quality is so consistently high here. As far as the style goes, elegance and finesse are the goal, that comes in no small part from Giovanna’s early efforts as well a simple respect for what their vineyards deliver each year. I love these wines. They offer early appeal as well as age worthiness and offer both terroir and vintage character such a clear and distinctive voice, though , in my experience they are never big or important wines, which has no doubt been a handicap in the world of the wine critic.
2016 Cascina delle Rose Dolcetto d’Alba 13.5%
All SS, bottled today
Wow. what a vivid violet color. Classic, blueberry,bitter almond, salted plum, and light mineral accents grace the nose. No doubt that this is in a fruity style, but with a delicacy to the fruit, and no stickiness here. Instead one finds a transparent, intense, fine mineral core, leading to a tight, slightly tannic finish that has real cut and nerve to it. Not nervous, but a snap of tension, second only to Francesco Clerico’s on this trip with real salinity on the finish and some musky floral tones emerging with air. Real solid potential. 93pts
2016 Cascina delle Rose Langhe Nebbiolo 14.5%
Barrel sample, SS, also using a part of Tre Stelle vineyard planted in 2012
Tight and closed on the nose. There’s fine balance in the mouth, ripe tannins lending this a nice feel though it is totally closed though with a certain softness to it. Late arriving dark berry fruit with nice floral accents hints at what is to come, but this is more an embryo of a wine than a fully formed wine. 87-90pts
2015 Cascina delle Rose Langhe Nebbiolo 14%
Open on the nose with aromas of camphor and small red fruits. Delicate in the mouth, like a watercolor painting, very laid back and perhaps a touch too soft, though it has nice fruit, though this too is unevolved showing some tartness in the mouth and delivering pleasant but simple nebbiolo flavors. 85pts
Barbera and Barbaresco were bottled one month ago
2015 Cascina delle Rose Barbera d'Alba 14%
16 months in botte grande
So pretty on the nose with red plum and sour cherry aromas supported by subtle green leaf, chalk, and astringent accent notes. In the mouth this has the most subtle layer of flesh, fine and gauzy with rich red fruit flavors, red cherry and something spicier almost lingonberry or boysenberry laced. Fine acid lift on the palate and a faint whisper of tannins lend this form in the mouth with a touch of blue fruit and green herbal nuance leading to a long, juicy, slightly jammy red fruited finish. Seamless, pure and vibrant, a beautifully tender Barbera though the alcohol does show through, there is a seductive length there. 92pts
2014 Cascina delle Rose Barbera Superiore Donna Elena 13.5%
Instead of the usual twenty months this spent 17 months due to the vintage
Earthy, savory and aromatic on the nose, this is filled with forest floor and leathery notes. Supple but focused in the mouth, there's lovely harmony to this in the mouth with some supple tannins adding some fleshiness to the core of otherwise lean and bright oatmeal laced red plummy fruit with little flashes of tart red cherry. A bit spicy in the mouth, with air freshening the nose, this is eminently drinkable, not the best ever but solid for the vintage I do wish it were longer because if there is a shortcoming it’s the quick finish. 87pts
2015 Cascina delle Rose Barbera Superiore Donna Elena 14.5%
Botte sample
Tight on the nose with scents of blueberries, leather, iron, and quartz. Tight on entry as well with some tannin, nothing noticeable per se but lending this an unusual firmness and supporting deep mineral notes on the palate. Seamless, though not as bright as the base Barbera, this delivers rich, supple, nuanced fruit, that has drive, purity of flavor, and intensity to the slightly jammy black cherry fruit topped with menthol accents. A textbook example of Barbera lacking the overt fruitiness and stickiness of the biggest examples, again the alcohol is noticeable but not bothersome. 91pts
2015 Cascina delle Rose Barbaresco Tre Stelle
Quite complex on the nose with aromas of carrot, soil, clay, dried herbs, dried mint, and dried flowers all coming together with savory complexity. Fine grained tannins and good acids lends this fine balance with good cut in the mouth and transparency. This has a fine burnished quality to it, bright juicy and elegant, with good length to the slightly jammy but still white cherry and tart red berry fruit. There’s an underlying slightly medicinal rooty quality to this on the nose and the palate, with hints of wild strawberry and a light peppery touch gracing the palate and finish. Very elegant and fine. 93pts
2015 Cascina delle Rose Barbaresco Rio Sordo
Sweeter with distinct rhubarb along with red fruit on the nose, strawberry rhubarb tart with more white soil notes, carnation and chalk lending complexity. A bit chunkier and easier going than the Tre Stelle in the mouth, there's an added layer of richness here though this remains finely textured and transparent in the mouth with good, juicy fruit but a bit richer and without the finesse of the Tre Stelle. Beautiful inner mouth perfumes hint at dried orange rind and rose petal on the moderately long finish. There's a real rose note here lending this freshness and this shows distinctly more power on the backend than the Tre Stelle, without the length and perhaps a hint of alcohol. A fascinating study in terroir! 92pts
2014 Cascina delle Rose Barbaresco Tre Stelle 13.5%
Mineral on the nose and slightly nutty, hazelnuts, with lingonberry pie notes coming together with lovely nuance, all topped with hints of sweet tobacco and baked pastry notes accenting bright red fruit. Bright and juicy in the mouth if a hint lean but firm and poised on the palate while delivering a fine rendition of cherry fruit, with lovely tannins on the finish. A touch short though with ample dusty tannins and assertive floral inner mouth perfumes on the juicy finish. Perhaps a little evolved and short but a fine example of the vintage. 91pts
2014 Cascina delle Rose Barbaresco Rio Sordo 13.5%
Minty and more floral driven on the nose with aromas of white cherry, handfuls of wild herbs, and leather in a powerful and soil driven bouquet.
Full and complete in the mouth, and moderately powerful for this wine. So pretty with such a fine but firm texture and real drive on the palate. There’s slightly darker fruit than the Tre Stelle, but it retains vitality and purity to the fruit, super ripe but red toned. The tannins are just a touch aggressive still, offering strong support to the real resonance of fruit on the finale. 92pts
2015 shares a certain Character with 2009, colors of nebbiolo are cooked out here and there, alcohols are high and unlike 11 they are noticeable,
Once again these wines wow with their delicacy and finesse. This is the Bartolo Mascarello of Barbaresco. Though in saying that it might seem that I am giving short shrift to their Dolcetto and Barbera, which are as good as they come. A small producer, so these wines will never be that easy to find but the quality is high and prices remain relatively low so if your see them you owe it to yourself to grab a few examples to sample.
The reason for the quality here appears clear: it is truly a family business. Not that that in itself is a particular guarantee of quality, though one finds such a passion, love of the land, and conviction in organic farming among the family that it is easy to see why the quality is so consistently high here. As far as the style goes, elegance and finesse are the goal, that comes in no small part from Giovanna’s early efforts as well a simple respect for what their vineyards deliver each year. I love these wines. They offer early appeal as well as age worthiness and offer both terroir and vintage character such a clear and distinctive voice, though , in my experience they are never big or important wines, which has no doubt been a handicap in the world of the wine critic.
2016 Cascina delle Rose Dolcetto d’Alba 13.5%
All SS, bottled today
Wow. what a vivid violet color. Classic, blueberry,bitter almond, salted plum, and light mineral accents grace the nose. No doubt that this is in a fruity style, but with a delicacy to the fruit, and no stickiness here. Instead one finds a transparent, intense, fine mineral core, leading to a tight, slightly tannic finish that has real cut and nerve to it. Not nervous, but a snap of tension, second only to Francesco Clerico’s on this trip with real salinity on the finish and some musky floral tones emerging with air. Real solid potential. 93pts
2016 Cascina delle Rose Langhe Nebbiolo 14.5%
Barrel sample, SS, also using a part of Tre Stelle vineyard planted in 2012
Tight and closed on the nose. There’s fine balance in the mouth, ripe tannins lending this a nice feel though it is totally closed though with a certain softness to it. Late arriving dark berry fruit with nice floral accents hints at what is to come, but this is more an embryo of a wine than a fully formed wine. 87-90pts
2015 Cascina delle Rose Langhe Nebbiolo 14%
Open on the nose with aromas of camphor and small red fruits. Delicate in the mouth, like a watercolor painting, very laid back and perhaps a touch too soft, though it has nice fruit, though this too is unevolved showing some tartness in the mouth and delivering pleasant but simple nebbiolo flavors. 85pts
Barbera and Barbaresco were bottled one month ago
2015 Cascina delle Rose Barbera d'Alba 14%
16 months in botte grande
So pretty on the nose with red plum and sour cherry aromas supported by subtle green leaf, chalk, and astringent accent notes. In the mouth this has the most subtle layer of flesh, fine and gauzy with rich red fruit flavors, red cherry and something spicier almost lingonberry or boysenberry laced. Fine acid lift on the palate and a faint whisper of tannins lend this form in the mouth with a touch of blue fruit and green herbal nuance leading to a long, juicy, slightly jammy red fruited finish. Seamless, pure and vibrant, a beautifully tender Barbera though the alcohol does show through, there is a seductive length there. 92pts
2014 Cascina delle Rose Barbera Superiore Donna Elena 13.5%
Instead of the usual twenty months this spent 17 months due to the vintage
Earthy, savory and aromatic on the nose, this is filled with forest floor and leathery notes. Supple but focused in the mouth, there's lovely harmony to this in the mouth with some supple tannins adding some fleshiness to the core of otherwise lean and bright oatmeal laced red plummy fruit with little flashes of tart red cherry. A bit spicy in the mouth, with air freshening the nose, this is eminently drinkable, not the best ever but solid for the vintage I do wish it were longer because if there is a shortcoming it’s the quick finish. 87pts
2015 Cascina delle Rose Barbera Superiore Donna Elena 14.5%
Botte sample
Tight on the nose with scents of blueberries, leather, iron, and quartz. Tight on entry as well with some tannin, nothing noticeable per se but lending this an unusual firmness and supporting deep mineral notes on the palate. Seamless, though not as bright as the base Barbera, this delivers rich, supple, nuanced fruit, that has drive, purity of flavor, and intensity to the slightly jammy black cherry fruit topped with menthol accents. A textbook example of Barbera lacking the overt fruitiness and stickiness of the biggest examples, again the alcohol is noticeable but not bothersome. 91pts
2015 Cascina delle Rose Barbaresco Tre Stelle
Quite complex on the nose with aromas of carrot, soil, clay, dried herbs, dried mint, and dried flowers all coming together with savory complexity. Fine grained tannins and good acids lends this fine balance with good cut in the mouth and transparency. This has a fine burnished quality to it, bright juicy and elegant, with good length to the slightly jammy but still white cherry and tart red berry fruit. There’s an underlying slightly medicinal rooty quality to this on the nose and the palate, with hints of wild strawberry and a light peppery touch gracing the palate and finish. Very elegant and fine. 93pts
2015 Cascina delle Rose Barbaresco Rio Sordo
Sweeter with distinct rhubarb along with red fruit on the nose, strawberry rhubarb tart with more white soil notes, carnation and chalk lending complexity. A bit chunkier and easier going than the Tre Stelle in the mouth, there's an added layer of richness here though this remains finely textured and transparent in the mouth with good, juicy fruit but a bit richer and without the finesse of the Tre Stelle. Beautiful inner mouth perfumes hint at dried orange rind and rose petal on the moderately long finish. There's a real rose note here lending this freshness and this shows distinctly more power on the backend than the Tre Stelle, without the length and perhaps a hint of alcohol. A fascinating study in terroir! 92pts
2014 Cascina delle Rose Barbaresco Tre Stelle 13.5%
Mineral on the nose and slightly nutty, hazelnuts, with lingonberry pie notes coming together with lovely nuance, all topped with hints of sweet tobacco and baked pastry notes accenting bright red fruit. Bright and juicy in the mouth if a hint lean but firm and poised on the palate while delivering a fine rendition of cherry fruit, with lovely tannins on the finish. A touch short though with ample dusty tannins and assertive floral inner mouth perfumes on the juicy finish. Perhaps a little evolved and short but a fine example of the vintage. 91pts
2014 Cascina delle Rose Barbaresco Rio Sordo 13.5%
Minty and more floral driven on the nose with aromas of white cherry, handfuls of wild herbs, and leather in a powerful and soil driven bouquet.
Full and complete in the mouth, and moderately powerful for this wine. So pretty with such a fine but firm texture and real drive on the palate. There’s slightly darker fruit than the Tre Stelle, but it retains vitality and purity to the fruit, super ripe but red toned. The tannins are just a touch aggressive still, offering strong support to the real resonance of fruit on the finale. 92pts