cascina
sòt
Monforte d’Alba
“(Cascina Sòt’s barolo) has great precision, intensity and drive, the finish lingering on very long. Hints of liqueur cherry in the aftertaste. A very smart young Barolo.”
Maurizio Sanso is the young man behind Cascina Sòt and the newest ‘Barolo Boy’ (recently inducted by Fabio from Conterno Fantino). His grandparents worked the family’s current land as farmer-tenants for decades until they managed to acquire the property in 1975. The family continued to grow grapes, selling the fruit to Barolo producers. Energetically Maurizio has taken this family business to the next level and produces wines of great fruit purity from the renowned cru of ‘Bricco San Pietro’. When asked whom he admires most in Barolo he names Bruno Giacosa - we can see where this feldging domaine is headed.
Maurizio’s textural version of Nascetta is in made in tiny quantities and involves 5-6 days skin contact and a degree of battonage. His Rosato is from first pressings and fresh to bursting. The Langhe Nebbiolo is juicy and serious - barrel fermentation is followed by 40% of the fruit spending 6 months in oak. Fruit for both Baroli are from 85 year old vines grown in Bricco San Pietro. Manual punch downs continue for 20 days until the wine is racked and aged in large Slavonian oak for 32 months, followed by 6 months in bottle. ‘Bricco San Pietro’ is the cream of the cru: it sees 28 months in French oak (60% new tonneaux, 40% second passage) followed by a year in bottle - don’t be fooled by the oak regime, the wine thrives on it, showing serious fruit depth and purity.
THE WINES
Cascina Sòt Chardonnay
Produced in the San Giovanni cru of Monforte d’Alba, Maurizio’s Chardonnay has a gently fleshy texture and medium bodied feel. It is unoaked and raised in steel with some limited battonage over a couple of months. Here the focus leans towards a linear but pulpy style dashed with mineral aspects. Maurizio always strives for excellent fruit preservation and that methodology shows here.
Cascina Sòt Nascetta DOC
Unlike any other Nascetta and made in tiny quantities (1000 bottles). Maurizio allows 5-6 days of skin contact during fermentation and a degree of battonage to add texture and definition underneath the citrus oil and blossom character of the fruit. There is a little tannic grip - the result of impressive skin contact management.
Cascina Sòt ‘Tramonto’ Rosato (Nebbiolo/Barbera)
Nebbiolo and Barbera in equal parts, this is an ultra vibrant pink that sees two months battonage for texture. Juicy and redolent with a bright mix of red fruits, it is the ultimate sundowner wine with a beautiful weight and salinity to match with food.
Cascina Sòt Langhe DOC Nebbiolo
This Langhe Nebbiolo from the village of Monforte d'Alba is elegant and refined, with pristine fruit (characteristic of the winery) and the seductive lift of rose petals. Barrel fermentation is followed by 40% of the fruit spending 6 months in large oak, precisely the right amount of balance struck here.
Cascina Sòt Barolo del Comune di Monforte d’Alba DOCG
Aged in large French oak botti, Maurizio seeks elegance and high toned aromatics with this awesome value Barolo from the Tantesi sub-zone of Bricco San Pietro on the western slopes of Monforte d'Alba. The purity of fruit matters and is something that Maurizio will be famous for as his reputation grows. The 2018 is a racy, pretty wine with focus, length and plenty of detail.
Cascina Sòt Barolo ‘Bricco San Pietro’ DOCG
harnesses the power of the 'Bricco San Pietro' cru and super old vine richness. Once again the fruit purity to oak is handled impeccably. The wine steps out confidently and shines - proud intensity, perfectly extracted fresh dark fruit, spice, dotted with herbs, leather and the rest.
It is a deep, seemingly endless wine with a phenomenal finish and presence. An epic, open weave interpretation of Monforte d'Alba's hallowed terroir - highly limited!
FURTHER READING
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