2023 Stefano Lubiana La Roccia Single-Block Pinot Noir

The La Roccia vineyard is planted at varied elevations ranging from 70 to 100 metres. The vines are 15 years old and comprise a mixture of clones, including 115 and 667. In this vineyard, we maintain low yields of less than 4 tonnes per hectare. Our La Roccia is always the first of the Single Blocks to be picked, as it has the lowest yield and the greatest exposure to the northern sun.

The grapes are 100% hand-picked and processed immediately to preserve their integrity and purity. The fruit undergoes wild fermentation in open-top fermenters for up to 16 days, with a balanced proportion of whole bunches (35% in the 2023 vintage). After fermentation, the wine is pressed, then gravity-fed into a mixture of second- and third-fill 228-litre French oak barriques in our underground cellar. The wine matures in these conditions until it is transferred to tank before bottling. Bottled under natural cork in June 2024, our premium Single Block Pinot Noirs mature in bottle under cork for over a year before release.

The 2023 La Roccia Pinot Noir shows aromas of dark cherry, bergamot and cassis, with a subtle savoury note of white pepper. The palate is complex and brooding, layered with blackcurrant, blackberry and charcuterie. The wine’s density is powerful yet medium-bodied, with firm, persistent tannins. All these elements carry through the palate, and the wine finishes seamlessly. It can be enjoyed in its youth if decanted, or cellared for long-term ageing over 10 to 20 years. – Steve & Monique Lubiana