I always cringe a bit when I hear the analogy “baby Barolo,” “baby Brunello,” “baby Sassicaia,” etc. It usually rings hollow to me—a ploy to sell a wine based on the prestige of something greater.

This wine is one that I would consider an exception.

Vigna Ornati, the vineyard where the fruit for this bottling is sourced,

Tenuta Rocca Nebbiolo d’Alba Vigna Sorì Ornati 2022 is made from 100% Nebbiolo sourced from a single 1.3-hectare vineyard with excellent sun exposure situated a mere 0.6 miles south of Monforte d’Alba. (In Burgundy, this would make the wine practically a Grand Cru!). The term sorì, when used in a vineyard context, refers to a particularly favored site, typically south or southwest-facing, that benefits from abundant sunlight, allowing Nebbiolo to achieve optimal ripeness and aromatic clarity. This designation is most often associated with top sites in Barolo and Barbaresco, where it serves as an informal marker of quality and pedigree.

This wine is fermented in stainless steel to preserve purity of fruit and varietal expression, followed by 16-18 months in large oak casks to soften the edges of the wine. The resulting wine is powerful, transparent, and expressive, offering lifted aromas of rose petal, red cherry, and wild strawberry, supported by fine tannins, bright acidity, and a savory mineral edge. You will be stunned at the QPR of this bottle.