Barolo Bricco Rocche 2018

Barolo

'Barolo' is the Grand Italian Wine by definition, produced entirely with Nebbiolo grapes. Barolo wine comes from the village in the Langa bearing the same name a few kilometres south of Alba. It is now made in eleven ‘communes’ or village territories, all situated on the scenic Langa hills shaped by centuries of vine cultivation and dominated by medieval castles – including Barolo’s own. The catpivating qualities of this wine led the nobility of the 19th century to give it the title ‘King of wines and wine of kings’.

Communes included in the Barolo production area are: Barolo, La Morra, Monforte, Serralunga d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto, Novello, Grinzane Cavour. Verduno, Diano d’Alba, Cherasco and Roddi. However, almost 90% of the appellation surrounds five villages: La Morra, Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Monforte d’Alba and Serralunga d’Alba. These five towns are the most well-known and are considered the most significant.

Barolo must be 100% Nebbiolo and aged for a minimum of 38 months of which at least 18 months must be spent in oak. The riserva must be aged for 62 months with the same minimum period of oak maturation.

Barolo is usually never deep in color; it ranges from light ruby to garnet and acquires a brick-orange hue over time. The wines boast intense and complex aromas of flowers (rose and violet), fresh red berries, cherries, tar and earth. All of this evolves over time into more refined aromas of dried fruit, dried flowers, spices (nutmeg, cinnamon) and mint, coupled with layers of leather, tobacco, gamey-meaty notes, licorice and white truffles.

Piedmont

Piemonte, in the north-western corner of the Italian peninsula, sits at the foot of the Western Alps, which encircle the region to the north and west. Its seasons are very distinctive: hot, dry summers, cold winters, and temperate springs and autumns are common with occasional fog during harvest time. Located in north-west Italy, surrounded by the Alps, Piedmont means literally “foot of the Mountain” in Italian. .

The richness and elegance of Piedmontese wines go perfectly with the rich and creamy cuisine typical of Piedmont, with meat and risotto at the heart of every menu, not to mention the most notable ingredient, the white truffle (tartufi bianchi). Piedmont has the highest percentage of quality wines in the whole of Italy. It is home to some of the most robust, long-lived wines of the world, many of which are specific to Piedmont and have not excelled anywhere else in the world. The wines of Barolo and Barbaresco are two of Italy’s best. Like fine Bordeaux and Burgundy, these Nebbiolo wines age very well.

DOCs and DOCGs

DOC: Barbera d’Alba; Colli Tortonesi; Dolcetto d’Alba; Grignolino del Monferrato; Langhe; Loazzolo; Monferrato; Nebbiolo d’Alba; Rubino di Cantavenna; Piemonte

DOCG: Barbaresco; Barbera d’Asti; Barbera Nizza Superiore; Barbera del Monferrato Superiore; Barolo; Dolcetto d’Ovada; Erbaluce di Caluso; Gavi; Gattinara; Moscato d’Asti; Roero

The region’s pedigree is apparent in its 58 DOC and DOCG zones, and it has the highest percentage of classified wines in all of Italy.

Grape Varieties

Nebbiolo is the grape used in Piedmont's most important DOCGs: Barolo, Barbaresco and Gattinara. Barbera, a dark-skinned variety, is responsible for a growing number of superlative wines, labelled as Barbera del Monferrato, Barbera d’Asti or Barbera d'Alba.

Another important red grape is Dolcetto, with several DOCs to its name (d'Alba, d'Acqui and di Ovada are the top three). Although its name means 'little sweet one', Dolcetto gives red wines with an appetizing, gently bitter finish. Although Piedmont is known as a red-wine region, there are whites that have to be mentioned: Moscato d’Asti and sparkling Asti Spumante, both made from Moscato grapes; Gavi is the most renown still white, made from the Cortese grape, a local variety which gives a clean and citrussy white. Crisp, floral Arneis is the grape used for whites in Roero appellation..