Reading Galloni’s words, it’s hard not to think of Angelo Rocca, who passed away suddenly in 2012. In his final years, he had already begun to reconsider the stylistic path briefly explored at the estate. Like many of his contemporaries, he engaged with the modern wave that swept through Piemonte in the late twentieth century, before gently guiding Albino Rocca back toward a more classical expression of Barbaresco—wines of clarity, proportion and quiet authority.

The wine traveller’s path is rarely lined with sunshine and perfectly chilled glasses. Which is why Issue 40 of Noble Rot is devoted to good timing—and giving yourself a fighting chance...

Pete Schell has been quietly chipping away at the Barossa coalface for a quarter of a century now, constantly extracting all manner of vinous gems. Some have called him the Godfather of the New Barossa—the winemaker who helped redefine the style of wine we could expect from the Barossa Valley and the surrounding foothills. Not only is Schell still going strong, he is still evolving—and his family’s wines are travelling in only one direction. 

The Latin saying that Bacchus loves the hills—Bacchus Amat Colles— could scarcely be more apt than in the Douro highlands. Noval’s 150 hectares of largely high-altitude vineyards lie on the steep schistous slopes of the Vale de Mendiz...

Maxime Graillot no longer stands in the shadow of his celebrated father. Today, he holds the senior winemaking role at Domaine Alain Graillot and is carving out his own chapter in the history of the Northern Rhône. 

For a traditional, old-school grower disinclined toward the spotlight, Cavallotto have found themselves firmly in it. On the back of a succession of superb vintages, Barolo authority Kerin O’Keefe named the estate her Barolo Winery of the Year 2025 — recognition echoed by leading critics at Vinous and The Wine Advocate.