2016 Ca'Nova 'Bocciolo' Nebbiolo Colline Novaresi DOC 750 ml

In the northeast corner of Italy, in the foothills of the Alps, just before they rise in elevation to rugged snow-capped peaks, eventually giving way to Switzerland, there’s a tiny, rural place called Novara, smack in the Colline Novaresi DOC. Roughly an hour northwest of Milan, the small, family-run wineries in Colline Novaresi, which is a subzone of Piedmont, are making Nebbiolo-based wines that rival the best in the world.

“Baby Barolo” is the phrase we lend to Nebbiolo-based wines that check off all the hallmark qualities of Barolo, minus the coveted status of being a wine from the Barolo DOCG. The singular benefit of collecting these equally stunning “Baby Baroli” comes down to one obvious thing: they are a fraction of the price of true Barolo bottlings.

The 2016 Ca' Nova 'Bocciolo' Nebbiolo from Colline Novaresi is a standout and a Wine Access exclusive. An aromatic orchestra of dried roses with layers of orange peel and dried savory spices give way to a wine brimming with tension and complexity with a fresh, vivid Barolo-like long-lasting and intense finish. 

We were first introduced to these Baby Baroli over lunch with Ca’ Nova’s rockstar winemaker and Piemontese champion, Cristiano Garella—who, by the age of 12, had already visited Barolo legends Angelo Gaja, Bartolo Mascarello, and Giacomo Conterno (just to satiate his burgeoning interest for wine, which today is a full-fledged obsession). Garella painted a vivid picture of the Ca’ Nova property in Colline Novaresi.

The estate, known locally as Azienda Agricola Cà Nova, is located in Bogogno, the heart of Piedmont and its vineyards run right up to the Bogogno Golf Resort, an under-the-radar getaway for Italy’s rich and famous (according to Garella). The area falls within the gorgeous rolling Novara Hills, north of the Po River where a unique mixture of glacial sedimentary alluvial runoff and clay deposits make for prime Nebbiolo terroir—with both good alluvial drainage and pockets of moisture-retaining clay, vines must focus their energy on sussing out nutrients, the kind of vigor that translates to structure and finesse in the wine.

Make no mistake, the Colline Novaresi DOC is off the beaten path, in the veritable back roads of Piedmont, but is a rich hunting ground for world-class “Spanna,” the local name for Nebbiolo. A 25-minute drive west up and over the Novara Hills lands you in Gattinara, where classic producers such as Nervi, Amadeo, and Fontanafredda produce DOCG wines that start at $50 and climb into triple digits. 

As for Bocciolo, this 100% Nebbiolo from organically farmed estate vines, which Garella gently presses, destems and allows to ferment for up to 10 days. After aging just six months in 5,000-liter neutral oak casks, the wine is bottled for a minimum of three months prior to release. At a balanced 13% ABV, this is an elegant, tension-fueled, easy-drinking red. Drink this while your Barolo DOCG wines continue their peaceful, mellowing slumber.