- Nebbiolo from 40 to 60-year-old vines in Neive on clay and limestone soils
- Fermentation and maceration on the skins with indigenous yeast for approximately 40 days, followed by submerged cap
- Aged in oak casks approximately 20-22 months before bottling
- No filtering and no fining prior to bottling
- 750 cases produced annually
Info
Producer:
Vintage:
2023
Country:
Italy
Region:
Piedmont
Appellation:
Barbaresco
Variety:
Nebbiolo
Color:
Red
Farming Practice:
Practicing Organic
Sizes Available
| Full Bottle | IT-SOT-22-23 | 12/750ml |
Press & Reviews
Jeb Dunnuck
Score
96
Date
2026-04-14
"Coming from the cru surrounding the estate in the heart of the Neive zone with limestone and clay soils, the 2023 Barbaresco Cotta reveals fresh wild herbs, mint, cherries, and fresh spice layered with delicate rustic notes. More full-bodied in profile, it has a tremendous core of energy and brightness, with broader shoulders and a chiseled structure to the tannins. The vibrant, almost metallic energy of the wine gives it remarkable lift. This is a stunning wine that is highly expressive on release but also shows potential for notable longevity. Drink 2027-2047."
Vinous
Score
95
Date
2025-10-28
"The 2023 Barbaresco Cottá is impressive. A blast of dark cherry, plum, spice, lavender, incense, spice, new leather and menthol stains the palate. Readers will find a big Barbaresco with broad shoulders and tons of intensity. This is an especially virile, almost somber, edition of the Cottá. Superb."
James Suckling
Score
94
Date
2026-03-11
"An earthy style with leathery aromas alongside leafy lightness, licorice root, strawberries and wild raspberries. Medium-bodied, rich and extracted, it shows crisp acidity and firm, dusty yet ripe tannins. Long, savory finish. A bit austere yet harmonious. Try from 2027."
REVIEWS FROM PAST VINTAGES
2021
Jeb Dunnuck
Score
97
Date
2025-05-06
"The 2021 Barbaresco Cotta also sports a bright red color in the glass. It has a pure and seductive nose leading with aromas of wild raspberries, anise, sweet tea, and floral perfume. The palate is inviting and more approachable out of the gate, with ripe tannins, a floating, medium-bodied frame, and pretty notes of apricot lingering on the finish. It™s hard to resist now, but it should have plenty of longevity over the coming 15-20 or more years."
2021
Kerin O'Keefe
Score
97
Date
2024-05-09
"Intense aromas of iris mingle with fresh cranberry, ground clove and camphor on the fabulous Cottà from Sottimano. Focused and elegantly structured, the delicious, balanced palate features juicy red cherry, crushed raspberry, star anise and saline alongside vibrant acidity and firm, fine-grained tannins. What a beauty. 2028"2036."
2021
Wine Advocate
Score
97
Date
2025-01-30
"This wine comes from a 2.8-hectare vineyard purchased by Andrea Sottimano's father in 1969. Today, the vines are 80 years old and planted in very wide spacing that once had vegetables and artichokes between the rows. The soils are sandy like in Rabajà and Asili. The 2021 Barbaresco Cottá was the last wine in our flight. That's because it has the biggest concentration and richness. It offers a full bouquet with sweet berry fruits, dried herb and dark spice. It makes a big impact on the palate, and it shows an intense, long-lasting mouthfeel. All of these Sottimano wines are racked into oak sometime after January, and malolactic fermentation proceeds very slowly (finishing at the end of summer or closer to harvest). This gives the wine a reductive character. The aromas here are very delicate and fine with carob, forest fruit, orange rind and blue flower. The tannins are powdery and fine. This beautiful Nebbiolo drinks like a Pinot Noir. Production is 9,000 bottles."
2021
Vinous
Score
96
Date
2024-10-29
"The 2021 Barbaresco Cottá is quite the powerhouse. As usual, it is marked by a huge mid-palate of fruit, but more classic winemaking these days keeps that in check while also adding the notable structural dimension to balance things out. Black cherry, licorice, incense, graphite, tobacco and scorched earth all build in a virile, potent Barbaresco to treasure for the next two decades. This has come together beautifully since I tasted it last year."
2021
Wine Spectator
Score
94
Date
2025-01-15
"This aromatic red displays cherry, strawberry, pine, eucalyptus and iron notes. Silky and well-integrated, with ample flesh and an open texture. Flashes of anise and other spices grace the lingering aftertaste. Best from 2027 through 2043. "B.S."
Jeb Dunnuck
Score
96
Date
2023-05-04
Kerin O'Keefe
Score
96
Date
2023-04-26
Vinous
Score
96
Date
2022-10-31
Wine Enthusiast
Score
95
Date
2021-10-05
"Cellar Selection"
Wine Advocate
Score
95
Date
2021-06-17
Wine Advocate
Score
94
Date
2020-07-23
Jeb Dunnuck
Score
94
Date
2021-05-30
James Suckling
Score
94
Date
2023-07-28
Wine Advocate
Score
94+
Date
2023-08-24
Wine Enthusiast
Score
94
Date
2024-08-01
"Dark aromas of the heart of the forest, reminiscent of a Grimms™ fairy tale, rise from the glass, intertwined with candied black cherries and a captivating blend of sweet and savory spices, including cinnamon, clove and allspice. This Cottá cru wine showcases a purity of fruit, with currants, cranberries and tart blackberries coalescing around savory and earthy flavors. The tannins grip firmly, like a friendly handshake after a long absence, while the fresh palate provides a lift before the next enchanting sip. Drink 2025"2040."J.P"
Vinous
Score
93
Date
2022-02-15
Wine Spectator
Score
93
Date
2023-09-13
Terroir Sense
Score
92
Date
2021-03-20
Wine Spectator
Score
90
Date
2021-03-02
Jancis Robinson
Score
17
Date
2025-08-20
"Neive. Lustrous and just mid ruby with the beginning of orange tinges. An alluring nose of sweet raspberry with hints of cinnamon bark and the merest suggestion of gingerbread. Elegant and surprisingly embryonic redcurrant and raspberry fruit with a firm layer of finely ground tannins. A couple of years™ patience is needed for this to come into full bloom. (WS)"