Cottà

Cottà is a south-southwest-facing MGA in the Neive commune at 190–260 metres on Tortonian blue-grey marl soils — the geological formation that underlies much of the Barbaresco zone’s most aromatic, textured terroir. The southwest aspect provides warm afternoon sun exposure, contributing to full Nebbiolo ripeness and a slightly more generous, open-textured wine than the more northerly or east-facing Neive sites.

Wines from Cottà display the floral, medium-weight character of well-situated Neive Barbaresco: rose petal, dried cherry, herbs, and a light mineral note on the nose; silky tannins on the palate with good freshness and a clean, persistent finish. The Tortonian soils deliver the textural completeness associated with the western Barbaresco zone, and the southwest exposure ensures that even in cooler vintages the fruit achieves full phenolic maturity. Cottà is best approached after six to ten years of bottle aging — an accessibility that makes it a useful introductory Barbaresco for those new to the appellation — and it continues to develop with interest for a further decade. Several Neive producers bottle Cottà as a single-vineyard wine, providing consistent evidence for the MGA’s reliable quality and genuine site-specificity within the Neive vineyard portfolio.