1995 Barolo Rocche
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Tasting notes
One of the surprises of the evening, the 1995 Barolo Rocche is superb. Dark, rich and intense, the 1995 comes across as a slightly gentler version of the 1996 that follows later in the evening. Luca Currado adds that macerations were the longest-ever at Vietti at the time (50 days), yet there is something a bit unpolished about the tannins that remains. The 1995s were greeted with a good deal of fanfare when they were first released, no doubt partly because the preceding four vintages were average to poor, but I have never found the wines particularly exciting. Vietti’s Rocche is about as good as it gets.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Dark ruby. The masculine, strapping Rocche is darker and meatier on the nose, with a more evolved balsamic character and notes of spices and stewed fruits. It offers good length, if not much overall complexity. My impression is that this wine will not improve dramatically with additional cellaring.
The 1995 Barolo Rocche possesses a saturated color, but it is evolved, with high levels of tannin that scorch the back of the palate. This gives the wine an attenuated, compressed, tough-textured finish. I am not sure it has the proper balance to age gracefully. Importer: Franklin Selections, Annapolis Junction, MD; tel. (410) 880-4790
Fuller red color, with faint amber at the edge. Musky, floral aromas of plum, dried rose, smoke and licorice. Sweeter entry, then dense and silky, with the sweetness carrying through the palate and into the finish. Very unevolved today, but has plenty of extract and ripeness to buffer the substantial tannins. These Barolos should display more sweetness once they have had another six to nine months to recover from the recent bottling.