2005 Barolo Falletto Vigna Le Rocche
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Tasting notes
Bruno Giacosa's 2005 Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto is superb. A big, dramatic wine, the 2005 shows all the power and depth of Serralunga in its broad frame. A host of black cherry, smoke, licorice and tobacco notes envelop the palate as the 2005 gradually unfurls in the glass. Iron, lavender and dried flowers follow. At ten years of age, the 2005 Rocche del Falletto remains an imposing, adolescent wine that will drink beautifully for several decades. (AG)
Critic scores
The Wine Advocate
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Loaded with intense aromas of sliced white truffles, steak tartare, and red fruits. On the palate this is full and round with bundles of ripe tannins giving way to a medium finish. This still needs some time. Hold off until 2015.
The 2005 Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto was another standout. It showed great freshness and purity from start to finish.
Wild, meaty nose shows less primary fruit and more earth, smoke, camphor and tar. Bigger, broader and drier than the Falletto; begins quite closed, with a smoky, flinty minerality dominating, then opens with air to show sweeter dark cherry and currant fruit. This is seriously dense and full wine, at once large-scaled and elegant and in need of a good seven or eight years of cellaring. Giacosa says this has more of everything than the Falletto, but today the sex appeal of that wine is compelling. But both of these examples offer lovely captivating Barolo perfume in the way of the finest 2005s. (Incidentally, Giacosa showed me a sample of his 2006 Rocche from barrel, which he planned to sell off-although he did note that he'd keep some magnums to follow. The wine was bigger than the 2005 but less refined and perfumed, and seemed a bit disjointed owing to strong acidity and somewhat tough tannins. While the 2005 got better and more minerally with aeration, the 2006 remained a bit undifferentiated by comparison.)
About the producer
Bruno Giacosa – now run by daughter Bruna – is a cult Nebbiolo producer, that has consistently made some of the best single-vineyard Barbaresco and Barolo from the 1960s onwards. The“red-label” Riservas are some of the finest and most collectable wines in Italy.