TN: 2013 Bruno Giacosa Rabajà and Rocche

2013 BRUNO GIACOSA RABAJÀ AND ROCCHE - Home (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.

• 2013 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Rabajà - 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 (Rabaja) 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 pts.)
• 2013 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Pop n pour about 2pm: Chocolate cherries, licorice, and beef stew in the nose. Noticeably fuller in the mouth than the Rabaja. 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 (Rabaja) 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 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Ken, this means no red labels in 2013? Did Bruna give any explanation why there are no riserva’s in 2013, 2013 is seen as a high quality vintage?

No red labels. She just said they think 2011 is a much better vintage. And at least for their wines, that is true.

Thanks for the notes. Interesting that they prefer their 11s to their 13s.

One question:

Care to elaborate?

They bought this parcel early in 2013. More here:

http://www.finewinegeek.com/giacosa/barbaresco/#notes

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing.

The short version: They bought a Rabaja plot to replace one that had been reclassified as Asili.

Ken it seems you lack the usual enthusiasm for the Giacosa wines in 13. A little surprising because I thought it was a superlative year.

Bruna said “We don’t think 2013 is a great year.” Based on my tastings, I would say they did much better in 2011. Bruna told me she feels better about 2014 and 2015 than 2013.

Footnote: Barbaresco did not suffer the hail that Barolo did in 2014.

My sense from visiting the region last fall was that most producers felt '15 was better than '13. No one I talked to put '14 ahead of '13, though!

I thought '13 was supposed to be really good (generally speaking)

2013 was a fairly ripe year. There’s a lot of hype around the '13s (I’m not sure of the source), so the prices are higher even though the euro is way down. My sense from my visit last year was that producers were more excited about '15s (also ripe), and a few reports trickling back suggest that '16 will be even better, and a bit less ripe.