Poderi Colla - Barbaresco Roncaglie 2019

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Poderi Colla Description

It is only a matter of time before the world comes to fully embrace the magnitude and relevance of the Colla family in the cultural and historical fabric of the Langhe, as they’ve truly helped set the stage for today’s more lifted and elegant expression of Barolo and Barbaresco.

Roncaglie is a colossal Barbaresco vineyard that hasn’t been widely acknowledged of late—but that’s about to change. The Collas own a massive chunk of the vineyard and they now sell a small quantity of grapes to Dave Fletcher, who is making gentle and very well welcome waves with his traditionally expressive Barbaresco wines. (We import Dave’s wines too; I never thought I’d bring in a Piemontese wine made by an Aussi, but the wines are simply too good to not embrace, and so is the guy.) Also, a portion of the cru now belongs to Vietti (which will surely change its notoriety), but the Collas own the Tenuata Roncaglia estate and vineyards in its entirety. Here you find more than Nebbiolo. There’s also some ancient vine Barbera facing southwest in what others would’ve ripped out and planted to Nebbiolo. Tino’s reasoning is that it’s been here for more than eighty years and he trusts that they knew what they were doing back in the day. “When we replant, it will be Barbera.” This Barbera is “Costa Bruna.”

“Tenuta Roncaglia has always been recognized as one of the most prestigious and important Barbaresco production areas (also mentioned by Lorenzo Fantini in his book ‘Monograph on Viticulture and Oenology in the Province of Cuneo’1880). Alessandro Masnaghetti writes in his “Map of Barbaresco Cru, 1994: “…the position of Roncaglie, together with Roncagliette, is one of the best we can see on the side of the hill that begins at Roccalini and rises towards Treiso…” And Daniel Thomases, in the Wine Spectator of January 1995: “Roncaglie is recognized as one of the best locations in the entire Barbaresco area.”

Roncaglie is a remarkable hill. Steep, amphitheater-esque, geometric, perfectly situated facing south to southwest and on calcareous marl and sand with a rise of about forty meters. The Barbaresco wines it renders have been simply too good to keep my hands off. I can drink them like they’re my house wine—so much red fruit and deliciousness, and packed with seriousness, too. Pietro Colla, Tino’s son and the family’s winemaker since 2006 (which marked a notable level of precision in the wines from every year thereafter), continues to outdo himself.

James Suckling: 94 Points

The soft tannins in this young Barbaresco are very seductive. Ripe strawberry and light chocolate with cream and berry undertones. It’s full-bodied and layered with pretty integration. Lots of tension, too. This is voluptuous for the vintage.