Ex Magnum

Still shows a hint of oak with a smokies on the nose, followed by lovely dusty, soil tones, hints of mint and violet layered over a blend of forest floor and bright cherry fruit. Smooth, bright, energetic and transparent in the mouth delivering a jolt of fruit on the palate that is slightly darker then the nose suggest,s more black cherried with a slight cocoa overlay. Finishes with good length and a fine, light mineral underlay. Tannins are very gentle at this point, gaining a little prominence on the finale, but generally offering just a bit of mass to the midweight feel.  Absolutely at peak, very graceful wine with a compelling blend of fresh fruit, which really shows persistence, and complexity. In a subtle stage. Absolutely delicious on its own, though it is Sangiovese so it’s probably a bit more challenging to drink that I let on with its earthy core and faint bitterness on the finish. With food it sings. We had it with sunday sauce, but I can also see this going well with Tuscan pork ribs, Osso Buco, and perhaps bollito misto. . 93pts

This was such a fun bottle in it's youth, fleshier than one might expect from a young Barolo, which was a sign both of the vintage as well as the cellar practices at Vietti. While I loved the pure expression of fruit this showed early on I was not sure how it would develop.

Well, it has exceeded my expectations. The last 3 bottles showed a very closed Barolo (2013), a somewhat closed bottle that offered some appeal (2016), and this bottle that, while still struggled to open up, shows all indications of developing into a classic example of Rocche.

Very red fruited on the nose with scents of rose petals and folded in oak lifted by a hint of VA. Bright, with tons of acid for the vintage. Medium weight and still very tannic with decent length to the earthy finish. A bit tight still and tarry, severe and lacking the joyous fruit it once had. This is a tough bird once again tonight but better than the last bottle. Long, tannic, and slightly bitter finish. This is a powerhouse without the weight.

And this grows superbly in the glass. I gave it a 9 hour double decant and it unfolded in the glass during the course of a 2 hour dinner. Still tight, though becoming elegant and transparent in the mouth with fine black cherry skin fruit, a hint of coffee, and penetrating minerality emerging on the midpalate and driving through the lengthening cherry fruited finale. One must have faith, and while this may never evolve to be the greatest example of Rocche, all signs point towards it becoming a classic example. A wonderful surprise to me! I look forward to following this over the next 2 decades to see where it ends up. Given current pricing it remain a decent value but I don't expect to buy more unless at a discount to current retail. 92pts with room to grow. 

​Fairly fragrant with rose petals and tar to the fore supported by accent notes of green pepper, cardamom, moist tobacco, and a touch of mint. Medium full in the mouth and ruggedly structured. There's a lot of acid here and still tons of tannin, with a hint of wood tannin and some wood spice on the palate. Still the wine shows an innate if unrealized elegance with plummy dark fruit streaks through the midpalate and some wild cherry nuances that lead to a taut, very long, lightly mineral, tarry and tense finish. With air the nose adds a subtle layer of black currant jamminess. Slightly nebulous in the mouth and wanting some definition though thoroughly satisfying, youthful and classic but still lacking the excitement, the visceral grab and finesse of the more recent wines. Worth buying at the right price. Should enjoy another 15 years of life. 91pts