2017 Bruno Rocca Langhe Chardonnay Cadet, Piedmont

The Langhe Chardonnay Cadet offers a terrific drinking break from a region that is so highly specialized in red wines. In fact, when Bruno Rocca bought this vineyard parcel in Neive in 1991, he immediately recognized that Nebbiolo was not an ideal match to the site and the calcareous limestone soils here. So he decided to plant Chardonnay, but he vinified it very much like a red wine.

The wine rests on the fine lees for up to a year and only a very small (10%) part sees contact with new oak. There is no rule regarding malolactic fermentation. If it happens fine, but  it usually does not. This is a beautiful, fragrant and generous wine with tropical fruit, apricot and lemon zest.