Sottimano : Cottá 2011

Tasting characteristics and recommendations for the Cottà 2011 from Sottimano

Tasting

Nose

The nose reveals aromas of ripe dark fruits, complemented by espresso notes and balsamic nuances.

Palate

The palate offers a fleshy profile with crushed black cherries and licorice. The tannic structure is well integrated, giving the wine a lovely aromatic persistence.

Food and wine pairings

This Barbaresco pairs perfectly with braised or roasted red meats, game such as wild boar or venison, as well as meat dishes in mushroom sauce. It also elegantly accompanies aged cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano or Castelmagno.

Serving and cellaring

The Cottà 2011 is ideally enjoyed at a temperature between 18 and 20°C, in large red wine glasses that allow its aromas to fully develop. This wine has cellaring potential of around 15 to 20 years under optimal storage conditions.

A Barbaresco from Piedmont born of an exceptional terroir

The estate

Founded in 1969 by Rino Sottimano, the Sottimano estate now spans around 18 hectares across five prestigious crus of Barbaresco: Cottà, Currà, Fausoni, Pajorè and Basarin. A pioneer of certified organic farming as early as the 1970s and of producing single-varietal, single-cru wines, Sottimano has gradually established itself among the region’s most respected producers. Rino Sottimano now runs the estate alongside his three children, Andrea, Elena and Claudia, who take an active part in day-to-day operations. Andrea in particular serves as the head winemaker. The estate upholds a philosophy of maximizing terroir expression through minimalist viticultural practices.

The vineyard

The Barbaresco Cottà comes from the Cottà cru, the estate’s founding vineyard acquired in 1969, spanning 2.8 hectares between the communes of Neive and Barbaresco. This terroir stands out for its southwest-facing exposures and distinctive sandy soils that give nebbiolo a particular structural fullness. The vines, some of which are approaching 80 years of age, are managed under certified organic farming, with natural ground cover maintained between the rows. The estate practices alternating autumn plowing and deliberately limits yields to promote terroir expression.

The vintage

The 2011 vintage in Piedmont displayed a particularly warm climatic profile. These conditions required meticulous vineyard management, particularly in terms of maintaining leaf cover to protect the grapes from excessive sun exposure. Despite these challenges, the vintage produced wines with good acidity and structure, with fine, silky tannins, as well as appropriate fruit concentration.

Winemaking and aging

Winemaking for the Cottà 2011 involved spontaneous alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeasts, followed by skin maceration for around 40 days. Malolactic fermentation took place naturally in French barrels from the François Frères cooperage. Oak aging lasted approximately 24 months, with 10 to 15% new barrels, the remaining barrels having been used up to four times.

Grape variety

100% nebbiolo