The 2010 Barbera d’Asti Camp du Rouss is a seriously savory and meaty wine with aromas of smoked bacon, cured meat, tobacco, leather and wet clay. The fruit is on the ripe side with elements of prune, dried blackberry and red currants. There’s a touch of sweetness or roundness in the mouth that balances out the fresh acidity. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2017.
Coppo was founded in 1892 by Piero Coppo and is now managed by his grandsons Piero, Gianni, Paolo and Roberto. They own 25 hectares of vineyard in the townships of Castelnuovo Calcea, Agliano Terme and Canelli (known for the production of Moscato d’Asti) with an additional five hectares in Monterotondo di Gavi that is entirely planted with white Cortese grapes. They offer a wide portfolio of wines (with Chardonnay and blended reds among them), but Barbera is the flagship red variety. Coppo started producing Barolo in 2003 after a 23-year pause. They are allowed to vinify outside the production zone, 50 kilometers away in Canelli, because they are grandfathered into older regulations thanks to the winery’s historic status.
Importer: Folio Fine Wine Partners, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 256-2700