Wine Spectator:   Rated as Outstanding: a wine of superior character and style. "Very lush and round, offering black cherry, plum and floral notes. Bright and firmly structured, yet the tannins are supple and the texture rich. Approachable now. Fine length. Best from 2012 through 2028. 900 cases made." Mar 2011

Winery:  "This most famous of wines comes from Rocca Giovanni winery in the Langhe hills of Monforte d’Alba, Piedmont.  100% Nebbiolo grapes are aged in Slovenian oak for 30 months and then in bottles for 7 months. The aroma is intense and fruity, with notes of cherry, prune, hazelnuts and cinnamon. A dry, full-bodied, tannic but harmonious wine, well-structured and long-lived. Match it with dishes like osso buco. We recommend drinking these wines at 16oC and to store the bottles on their sides in a cool cellar."
Rocca Giovanni is a small family winery located in the Langhe hills of Monforte d’Alba in Piedmont. Meaning “the foot of the mountain”, Piedmont is framed by the Alps and the Appenines, bordering Switzerland and France. The Piedmontese are unrivalled in their devotion to their craft, and the Rocca family are no exception.  Father and son, Giovanni and Maurizio, monitor every stage in the winemaking process, from the cultivation of the vines right through to the cellaring of the bottles.

Wired For Wine:  There is no better way to start off a Monday than thinking about something as scintillating as the Rocca Giovanni Barolo.  Wake up those taste buds winelovers!!  Give your first bottle a little breathing time before you fill the glasses, and when you do, have a platter of wild mushroom crostini drizzled with white truffle oil at the ready.  È questo il paradiso?  The lush, round full body, beautiful, dark fruit and lovely tannins of this Piedmontese Barolo are made for meat, game, and rich pasta dishes.  The simple, classic route is a guaranteed hit.  We suggest rib-eyes grilled your favorite way, topped with a sinfully delicious Béarnaise sauce.  The tannins will rise to the occasion beautifully.  A hearty fettuccine with braised oxtail will pair nicely with the rich texture of this Rocca Giovanni.  A little more unusual, but no less fantastic is rosemary roasted buffalo tenderloin with Gorgonzola butter with this killer Italian red.  Un sacco di burro per me.  At this price and rating, make sure you get enough for one more course.  Our first choice is an Italian Boschetto al Tartufo Bianchetto.  Mixed throughout are shavings of rare, white truffle that transform the cheese into an addictive delicacy.  Prepare to get hooked winelovers!!

Bottle:  750ml, cork
Varietal: 100% Nebbiolo
Alcohol: 14.0%
Ageing:  18 months in Slovenian oak
Region:  Piedmont, Italy
Limited production: 900 dozen