This producer has been through an incredible journey in recent years. The sudden passing of the family patriarch, Angelo Rocca, in 2012 was obviously the catalyst. Angelo was already moving the Estate back to a more classic style (having come full circle), and after his passing, his three daughters decided to produce a wine in his honour. Speaking with their grandfather Albino Rocca (Angelo’s father and founder of the Estate), the Rocca sisters formulated the idea of making a wine in the way it had been done back in Albino’s day.
Angelo is a small blend of fruit from selected parcels across the Estate. The grapes spent up to 50 days on skins (using a submerged cap) in a large-format, specially designed wooden Stockinger fermenter. The wine was then aged for 24 months in a single 2,000-litre cask. The blend is typically 50% Ronchi, 25% Ovello and 25% Montersino, and ages for two years in bottle before release. It has been described by Galloni as a “Brunate of Barbaresco,” which gives you some insight into the quality and style of the wine.