Barolo Rocche del Falletto, Bruno Giacosa 1999

The 1999 Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto is a knock out. Dark red cherry, plum, incense and orange peel are all very much alive in the glass. The 1999 Rocche is rich, sensual and powerful to the core, with fabulous depth, explosive fruit and captivating intensity. Because of its greater power and richness, the tannins are nearly buried by the fruit. Here, too, the 1999 has moved on from its primary stage, but it is not mature, either. Ideally, readers should wait another few years until the 1999 Rocche enters the next stage of its life. I have had the 1999 Rocche on many occasions. It has always been expressive, profound and moving.

1999 Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto-Medium red. The 1999 Rocche del Falletto opens with a sublime, classic nose of roses, tar, licorice and minerals Powerful, deep, and structured on the palate, it displays a tightly wound core of fruit with great length, much overall balance and a certain nobility in its austerity. Made in restrained style for this wine, the 1999 doesn't initially show the opulence of vintages 1997, 1998 and 2000 nor the imposing structure of the 1996 Riserva Falletto or the 2001 Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto, remaining somewhere in the middle. Over the course of several days, however, the luxuriousness of its fruit gradually emerged. Still, readers will have to be patient with this wine. It will provide immense pleasure to those who appreciate classically structured, quintessential Barolo and it should drink well until age thirty, and likely beyond. A great effort and one the best relative values among this producer's recent releases. An Azienda Agricola Falletto di Bruno Giacosa bottling. 96/drink after 2011, 03/06