Sottimano | Piemonte | Cottá, Barbaresco DOCG | 2018 | 750ml

Description

Product description for Sottimano Cottá, Barbaresco DOCG 2018 Sebastian Bordthäuser: On the palate, the Cottá oscillates between inviting hospitality and youthful stubbornness, which quickly reveals itself as attitude. The taut, almost chewy tannins provide the typical Sottimano bite and clothe the youthfully bright acidity in purple regalia. The overall concept combines vertical drinking with a gastronomically attractive drinking window. The Azienda Agricola Sottimano was purchased by Rino Sottimano in the 1960s and is located in the heart of the Cottà vineyard. In the following years, it was gradually expanded to include the Crus Currá, Fausoni, Basarin, and Pajoré. Today, the winery is run by son Andrea and his sisters Elena and Claudia. Located in the triangle formed by Barbaresco, Neive, and Treiso, Sottimano has been working according to biodynamic guidelines for years to capture the character of each of its five crus as precisely as possible in the bottle. Cru Cottà is the winery’s signature vineyard site, located between the municipalities of Neive and Barbaresco. It covers around 2.8 hectares and faces southwest. The vines are between 50 and 70 years old and combine the fleshy, dense polyphenols of the Neive vineyards with the powerful tannin structure of Barbaresco. Fermentation is always spontaneous with the wine’s own yeasts; maceration typically lasts 25 days, and malolactic fermentation also occurs spontaneously in French oak. The wines age for 24 months in barrels (15% new oak, the remainder in second to fourth fillings), including 12 months on the lees. The use of wood in winemaking was modernized with the 2014 vintage, making the wines more accessible even in their youth, with immense vibrancy and depth. The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Colour

Ruby red, transparent, and clear.

Nose

The 2018 Cottà from Azienda Agricola Sottimano is as complex on the nose as a Rubic’s Cube: No matter how you turn it, the initial fruity aromas of raspberries and cherries are quickly complemented by spicy herbal notes like bay leaves, thyme, and cedarwood in the top note. Aromas of dark tobacco, black tea, and cherry jam tap into the contemporary notion of umami and make your lips purse their lips.

Palate

The initial sip is fruity and clear, until its youthful, boisterous nature overtakes it. The delicate fruit and its transparent character belie the tightly laced tannin corset that neatly grooms it. With its neat parting, it has a proper body tension; everything sits in the right place without a crease. The tannin, like the finest sandpaper, lends it a noble bitter note reminiscent of dark chocolate. The acidity is perfectly packaged in the overall package of this delicate Barbaresco with its jovial disposition and excellent manners.

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Keywords: Sottimano Cottá, Barbaresco DOCG 2018 Piemonte Italy

Producer website: http://www.sottimano.it/