Our Visit to Cascina delle Rose, June 2024
- Dillon Siflinger
- Dec 30, 2025
- 3 min read
Date of visit: June 20, 2024
This last year or so has been busier than we could’ve ever imagined, and as a result we’ve sadly had less and less time to post on here. As a result, we have a backlog from visits going back to June 2024, and we’re making it our new year's resolution to get caught up on these as soon as possible.
Our final visit of our June 2024 trip to Langhe was to Cascina delle Rose with the extremely kind, hospitable, knowledgeable, and of course incredibly talented winemaker, Riccardo Sobrino.
Cascina delle Rose’s wines are ones which we’ve admired for a long time. One of the things we’ve always loved about them is their ability to deliver all of the classic Nebbiolo characteristics that we know and love, yet they don’t necessarily need as much time as so many examples of Nebbiolo often do. Their wines are almost shockingly approachable and enjoyable in their youth, and yet, this in no way impacts the wines ability to age gracefully for long periods of time. It’s a magical balance that they’ve somehow achieved and one of our favorite things about their wines.
Their winemaking is classic; this means large, old Garbellotto barrels, cement, and stainless steel, never barriques. They follow the moon cycles for bottling; they bottle wines during a waning moon which happens a few days after a full moon. They bottle just once per year, and all of their wines are assigned the same lot number worldwide.
As we spoke with Riccardo, it became easier to understand why his wines taste the way that they do. He’s an absolute perfectionist. A great example of this is their stainless steel tanks. When you first enter the winery there’s a glass wall on the right hand side which overlooks a room filled with what appears to be a few dozen stainless steel tanks of various sizes. We were surprised to see this given that their production is quite small (they have just 5.5 hectares under vine). Riccardo explained to us that it’s impossible to know how much juice they’ll have each harvest. Rather than use variable capacity tanks which could potentially fail, he’s opted to use classic, technology free, stainless steel tanks, and has them in a wide array of sizes to adapt to how much juice he has available that particular year. This means that during any given vintage a large portion of these tanks is left vacant. He admits that this is of course a very costly investment both financially, and in terms of valuable cellar space, but one which he feels is very much worth it. This is the first time we’ve seen a producer do this, and a decision we very much respect. This same mindset is present in every decision that’s made at Cascina delle Rose. No detail is too small, or goes unnoticed.
Riccardo took us down into their subterranean cellar located just below a portion of their famed Rio Sordo vineyard. A portion of the cellar walls is bare exposed soil which naturally regulates humidity. Besides the functionality, from a visitors perspective, it provides an excellent view of the different soil bands found in the vineyard. This was quite striking visually.
Tasting notes:
2022 Dolcetto d’Alba “A Elizabeth”: Roses, blackberries, wild herbs, crushed cherries and strawberries. Juicy, very fruit forward, and elegant. The mouthfeel is silky, and filled with lively acidity which nicely balances out fruit and tannins. We’re big fans of Dolcetto, and this is one of the more memorable examples we’ve tasted. Outstanding.
2022 Langhe Nebbiolo: 100% Nebbiolo, made in stainless steel and concrete, sees no oak. The nose is floral with hints of licorice. Flavors of crushed cherries, wild strawberries, fine tannins, and pleasant acidity. Great balance, and purity of fruit.
2021 Barbera d’Alba: Aged for 12-15 months in barrel. Balsamic, anise, and licorice on the nose. The palate is juicy, silky smooth, with vibrant acidity, and notes of grape juice, and crushed red and black berries.
2020 Barbaresco Rio Sordo: Well defined aromas of roses take center stage complimented by licorice and anise. The palate is impeccably balanced and delivers notes of cherry juice, roses, and hints of anise. The tannins are very very fine, with energetic acidity. Very elegant. Persistent finish. A beautiful Barbaresco.
Thank You
All of the wines tasted were elegant, precise, pure, and focused, and we absolutely love them. What an outstanding visit, and outstanding producer. Grazie mille Riccardo! We hope to see you again soon.
For more information on Cascina Delle Rose's wines, be sure to visit their website, or Polaner's website
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