Bruno Rocca Barbaresco DOCG, 2017, Piemonte, Italy

Our View:

Bruno Rocca himself was quoted as saying; "Paradoxically, our goal is not to “make” wine, but to guide its evolution to help it best express itself. Our land, not the producer, is inscribed on the wine." 

What better way to communicate the passion and quality that stands as the foundation behind this family wine producer. This 2017 Barbaresco is elegant, balanced and ready to drink now. 

The Wine:

The Rocca family originates from Barbaresco dating back to the 1800's. Bruno Rocca took charge of the family business when his father died in 1978, and decided that all the wine produced by the estate would from then on be sold in bottle. The family now has 15 hectares of vineyards. Stylistically, Bruno is a consummate modernist, making wines with great intensity of fruit while retaining the structure and elegance of the Langhe at its best. Today, Luisa and Francesco continue to produce wines expressing the terroir of the region. 

The Nebbiolo grapes for this wine come from younger vines, grown in Bruno Rocca's vineyards in Neive, Cru San Cristoforo, Marcorino and Fausoni. The soil is rich in limestone and micronutrients ideal for growing Nebbiolo. The Neive vineyard is particularly sandy and tufaceous, creating full-bodied wines with firm tannins. 

The grapes were hand harvested and selected in the vineyard with a second selection taking place on the sorting table. Fermentation was carried out in stainless steel tanks and lasted 20-25 days before the wine was aged in French oak barriques for 18 months, and then spent eight months in bottle before release.

Tasting Note:

Intense garnet in colour, this wine has fruity aromas of blackberries, wild black cherries and plums with overtones of subtle rose, violet with hints of spice. Warm and elegant, the long-lasting flavours finish with a hint of cocoa. (Vegetarian, Vegan). 

The Facts:

What the critics say:

 94 Points - The Wine Advocate:

"The classic Bruno Rocca 2017 Barbaresco surprisingly reveals cool-vintage aromas from what was in fact a warm growing season. When given ample time to open, this pretty Nebbiolo offers a long list of aromatic characteristics, starting off with a dusty note of white calcium that spans out to broad aromas of purple fruits and spice. However, that delicate mineral note is the wine's distinguishing factor, and it adds grace and enormous elegance to the finished results. You usually don't get this level of detail or finesse in the hot years, but this wine pulls it off without a hitch". 

93 Points - James Suckling: 

"A red with lots of ripe berries and round tannins that give the wine richness and softness. Typical for the hot 2017 vintage with lots of generous fruit and ripe tannins, but not overdone. Drinkable now, but better after 2022".