2013 Bruno Giacosa Rabają and Rocche
Home, Delmar, NY, 3/25/2017
After I wrote up my notes from
my visit to the winery in July,
Bruna was chagrined that she had not given us their 2013's to taste as well,
so she sent me these bottles.
I let them sit for about one month, then tasted them over 2 days.
Note that these are the only single-vineyard Barbaresco and Barolo produced by Giacosa in 2013.
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2013 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Rabają -
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Pop n pour about 2pm: Lovely perfume of smoky sweet red fruits and licorice.
Hints of chocolaty spice. Silky on the palate with rich red fruit in the middle and
rough tannins on the long cherry finish. Nice earthy red fruits.
Amy sniffs both bottles and says the left one (Rabajà) is the girl and the right one
(Rocche) is the boy.
Open 8 hours: Dark red fruits in the nose. Fuller, thicker, richer, with loads of tannin
in the middle and finish. Long and delicious, but not much weight or power.
Open 28 hours: It has developed a rich vibrancy that I associate with young Giacosa.
The tannins have softened and there is a long finish of sweet red fruit, licorice,
and fruitcake. Pretty good for the first vintage from this parcel. (91-93 points)
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2013 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto Vigna Rocche -
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
[This is the wine formerly known as "Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba".
This new name is due to changes in labeling rules.]
Pop n pour about 2pm: Chocolate cherries, licorice, and beef stew in the nose.
Noticeably fuller in the mouth than the Rabają. Smooth up front, but firm tannins on the finish.
The finish is long with lots of cherries, blackberries, and cocoa powder.
Amy sniffs both bottles and says the left one (Rabajà) is the girl and the right one
(Rocche) is the boy.
Open 8 hours: There's an almost syrupy sweetness of red and black fruits in the nose now.
Soft and elegant with lots of licorice and black fruit. So far, it is harmonious and complex,
but lacks the weight of the 2011 Rocche Riserva.
Open 28 hours: A Burgundy-like nose of ripe sweet smoky cherries. Thick, silky and long with
sweet red fruits and spice. The tannin and the fruit are in harmony. (92-94 points)
Notes posted from CellarTracker.
All original content © Ken Vastola