This wine was the highlight of the Northern Italian wine dinner last Saturday. Blue Oval pulled this out of his cellar for the event and I had been waiting in anticipation for 3 weeks to try it. Parker gave it a 97 and WS a 94. It also recieved a Tre Bicchieri award and deservedly so.

Blue Oval decanted this for 4-5 hours before serving. It was a dark reddish purple and had a great nose filled with sweet black fruit. This was a wonderful wine. In fact, both Barbaresco's we had that night shown very well. Better than the Barolo's we had. This full bodied effort possessed intricate notes of cherry, chocolate and cassis. It had a long smooth finish with well integrated tannins. It will last another 5-10 years if desired. 95 points.

VM

[ 11-05-2002, 02:34 PM: Message edited by: Vino Me ]

VM,

Would you characterize this as a "old world" style wine or a "new world" style wine? I've had Albino's '99 Barbera and thought "old world," but then I have limited experience with Italian wines.

And to think I have 4 bottles remaining. Loved the nose. Long finish - hedonism in a bottle. Sorry, VM for pouring that last drop into my glass!

VM, a 95, eh? Will it make it into your top ten for 2002?

Blue Oval

[ 11-05-2002, 03:35 PM: Message edited by: Blue Oval ]

Jaimetown- Hard to say but I would lean more toward old world in style. Do any of the Italian members have an opinion on this?

BO- Yes it did make my top 10 and no I don't think you are sorry.

VM

i don't recall this wine, but then again, VM and BO were quite careful in keeping this bottle on the far side of the table, away from Dame Frankie and I

Frankie,

It was the first wine we tried after the Dolcetto.

VM

VM, Frankie,

Angelo Rocca, winemaker a Albino Rocca would have to be classified as a modern wine maker over the last 5-6 years. While many of his wines use large foudres in the classic style, he has been getting pure concentration and intensity in the wines unlike old style barbarescos. Bottom line is they are kicking out some great wine.

Ciao

I'm delighted to read this TN and the accompanying comments. When the '97 Barbarescos were released here, this was the only one I could get my hands on after wading into the middle of the feeding frenzy. I have only 3 bottles, and have wondered whether or not it's time to open one. Sounds like it is. Thanks for the good info.

Eno- Thanks for the information.

Seaquam- Enjoy. I look forward to your opinion on this wine.

VM

Definitely modern style. Not the most advanced part of the stream, but modern.

Old style Barbarescos, or simply typical, up to very few years ago, they were wines really little concetrated, really not dark, really not that fruity in their first youth.

Take a Giacosa Barbaresco, it is the quintessence of a typical high level Barbaresco, as for quantitative indexes.

To be sincere, I didn't enjoy the Rocca that much, maybe because I knew it was Barbaresco, and I have quite traditional preferences. Obviously, I'm talking about style.

On the other hand, the wine is technically outstanding, and extremely well drawn. Anyway, at this early age, I would rate it no more than 90, 91. Quite in the same way of Il Bricco 1997 by Pio Cesare. I prefer the base bottling, especially when I must choose a bottle to enjoy with friends, without considering technical tasting requirements and performances.

I'm extremely curious to see how all these new style Barolo and Barbaresco will develop in a middle-long term, let's say 10-15 years.

I hope all of them will not have to pay a heavy fee for all this juvenile ripeness and loudness of today. The test will be extremely meaningful, since all of those recent vintages, 1996 and 1998 in particular, are great vintages to be stored for long ageing purposes.

Time will see.

[ 11-06-2002, 09:01 PM: Message edited by: MassMess ]