2016 - Barolo Falletto Vigna Le Rocche Riserva, Bruno Giacosa

The Bruno Giacosa 2016 Barolo Riserva Falletto Vigna Le Rocche sees its fruit sourced from the oldest vines in the Falletto cru. This wine boasts all the signature touches of Serralunga d'Alba with the massive structure, density and the long aging potential that comes with Nebbiolo grown in this village. The wine spreads evenly over the palate, imparting its considerable fruit weight and generally leaving a big impact. This Barolo is really quite lovely and beautiful. The bouquet is fluid and ever-shifting, showing new sides with firm fruit, blackberry, smoke, rusty nail and mineral with every swirl of the glass. I visited this vineyard site shortly before tasting this wine and marveled at the beautiful peacocks that roam free between the rows of vines.

10,000–11,000 bottles made.Intense colour – even more than 2017. More closed on the nose. But with masses of tar and liquorice going on underneath. Lots of tannins still. This is a muscular wine that is, at the moment, exclusively communicating potential. But it’s impressively long and pure. Masses of liquorice and undertow. Very persistent and complex. Should become a superstar. (JR)