2020 Albino Rocca Barbera dAlba Superiore Gepin, Piedmont

The 2020 Barbera d'Alba Superiore Gepin is deep, avorful with tons of character. It emerges from the Cottà cru, where the wines are naturally rich and creamy. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, leather and incense all open nicely. A year of aging in cask adds structure. What I like most about the 2020 is the combination of fruit intensity and depth, but in the restrained, classic style that is the norm here these days.

94 points AG vinous.com

Albino Rocca Barbera d'Alba Superiore Gepin is a superb expression of Barbera from one of Piedmont’s most respected family estates. The Rocca family has been farming vineyards around Barbaresco since the 1940s, but it was Albino’s children, particularly Angelo Rocca, who elevated the estate’s reputation through a deep commitment to terroir, elegance and precision. Today, the fourth generation, led by Daniela, Monica and Paola Rocca, continues this legacy with understated brilliance.

Gepin is sourced from older vines grown in the sandy and calcareous soils of San Rocco Seno d’Elvio, on the southern edge of the Barbaresco zone. The wine is aged in large Austrian oak casks which allow the fruit to shine while building gentle structure. It’s a Barbera that balances richness and restraint: waves of dark cherry, black plum, sweet spice and crushed flowers unfold across a palate that’s velvety yet vibrant. The acidity is fresh but not angular, and there’s a polished depth that speaks to both site and craftsmanship.

This is not your everyday Barbera. It has enough body and poise to complement dishes like wild mushroom risotto, chargrilled sausages, or veal saltimbocca. It can age gracefully for up to 8 years but offers immediate drinking pleasure with a decant.