Vietti - Barolo Rocche Di Castiglione 2018 (5L)
Wine Advocate: 97+ Points
This is one of my sweetheart wines from Castiglione Falletto. The Vietti 2018 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is beautifully etched and sharp with an especially delineated quality that is uncommon in this vintage. Fruit comes from a small 8000-square-meter parcel and like the other wines in this cru series from Vietti it ages in oak casks for two years. The wine's texture is beautifully smooth and polished thanks to the carefully integrated tannins. Only 3693 bottles were made. Vietti is one of the most dynamic wineries in the appellation. Starting with the 2019 vintage the entire production of Barolo and Barbera is certified organic. This set of new releases comes with three big surprises. There are three new wines in their inaugural release: the single-vineyard Barolo Cerequio (with fruit from La Morra) the Barolo Monvigliero from Verduno and the Barbaresco Masseria now entirely made with fruit from Roncaglie. The Monvigliero is a wine of special interest as it is made with 60% whole cluster fruit in collaboration with colleagues over at Borgogna. I also recently read that Luca Currado Vietti actually created a shared investment in Monvigliero in 2018 (for an 8000-square meter plot in the MGA) with a group of 10 American investors. Luca could not buy the property outright but under the terms of the shared agreement the investor group retains 45% of the production each year released under the Vietti label and Luca is left with the remaining 55%. The question is: What will he do with his share of that precious fruit?
James Suckling: 95 Points
Lots of sweet wild-strawberries hit your nose first but wait for the beautiful spiced orange-peel note that will bowl you over. Then mineral and savory-spice notes chime in. Full-bodied with intense wild-fruit and agrumi flavor which is already latching onto the slightly chewy tannins. This is just a baby but it?s packed with bright spicy-fruit promise. Patience is needed. Try from 2025.
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