2017 Cato La Promessa Nebbiolo, Hilltops

Cato La Promessa Nebbiolo is a compelling expression of this noble Italian variety grown in the Hilltops region of New South Wales, where elevation, cool nights and long autumns allow Nebbiolo to ripen slowly and retain its natural perfume and structure. The Hilltops sits between five and six hundred metres above sea level, with granitic and clay loam soils that naturally limit vigour and build wines with tension and savoury depth. Cato Wines is a small, quality focused producer, and La Promessa is very much a statement of intent, a promise to explore varieties that thrive in cooler Australian climates while respecting their Old World origins. Nebbiolo is notoriously difficult to grow, but these Hilltops sites provide the length of season it needs to develop aromatic complexity without losing acidity.

In the glass the wine shows a translucent garnet colour, opening with lifted aromas of rose petal, sour cherry, red plum and dried herbs, with subtle notes of spice and earth beneath. The palate is firmly structured yet elegant, delivering bright red fruits, fine grained tannins and a savoury, mineral edge that gives the wine length and seriousness. It is beautifully suited to food, shining alongside braised meats, duck, mushroom dishes and aged hard cheeses, and it also rewards patience in the cellar, evolving over eight to twelve years as truffle, leather and dried floral notes emerge. This is a thoughtful, regional take on Nebbiolo that captures both varietal character and a strong sense of place.