Wine Advisor
Vietti, Barolo Rocche di Castiglione 2004
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
In many ways the best was saved for last. As much as I loved the 1982, 1989, 1996 and other vintages, the 2004 was on another level entirely. I was somewhat surprised by how much the wine had begun to close down since I last tasted it in bottle a few months prior, but all the ingredients for a classic, superb Barolo Rocche were there, from the signature aromatics, to the ripe dark fruit and the finessed tannins. Yet the 2004 revealed an additional level of ripeness and concentration which should allow it to take its rightful place as one of the finest, if not the finest, Barolo Rocche Vietti has ever produced. Vietti is one of Barolo's historic properties. Husband and wife team Alfredo Currado and Luciana Vietti were pioneers in the 1960s. They were among the first producers to recognize the unique qualities of their vineyards, many of which are among the finest in the region, even today.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2004 Barolo Rocche has been breathtaking on the occasions I have tasted it. A deep, intense Barolo, it bursts forth with a compelling array of dark cherries, dried roses, menthol, minerals and spices in an explosive expression of ripe fruit laced with perfumed aromatics. This rich, vibrant Barolo grows in the glass, gaining volume, depth and persistence. Like Viettis’s other 2004s, the Rocche is a concentrated, structured wine that will require patience. I have been fortunate to taste many of Vietti’s legendary wines from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, but the 2004 Barolo Rocche is in a class of its own. It may turn out to be the finest wine made at this historic property. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2026. Importer: Remy Cointreau USA, New York, NY; tel. (212) 424-2204
About the Producer
Vietti is located in the Castiglione Falletto wine region in the Cuneo province of Piedmont, Italy. The wines produced by the winery are not only of excellent quality, among which the Vietti Barolo Ravera 2010 wine won a perfect score from the wine critic Antonio Galloni (Antonio Galloni), who was once the "Wine Spectator", but also launched the "Artist's Wine". The "target wine" idea adds a strong artistic flavor to the wine. The Vietti family's passion for art has so far been fully reflected in the creation of wine art labels. Since 1974, certain Vietti wines have been decorated with specially designed original works (lithographs, woodcuts, etchings, silkscreens, reliefs) inspired by specific vintages. The number of prints is the same as the number of bottles produced, with the first 100 labels signed by the artist. Each piece is used only once for a particular vintage. From the 1982 vintage of Barolo Villero sold in 1988, the artist's label has been dedicated to the wines made in this great vineyard. The history of Chateau Vietti can be traced back to the 19th century. But it wasn't until the early 20th century that Vietti became a winery and sold its own bottles under that name. The founder of the winery, Mario Vietti, began making the first Vietti wines in 1919, mainly for sale in Italy. His most important achievement was the transformation of a family farm in many industries into a viticulture and winemaking business. In 1952, Luciana Viett's husband, Alfredo Currado, continued to make high-quality wines from grapes from their own vineyards and from purchased grapes. Very quickly, Chateau Vietti grew into one of Piedmont's top wine producers and one of the first wineries to export to the American market. Alfredo was one of the first pioneers to select grapes from a single vineyard for winemaking, which was a radical concept at the time, but today virtually every Barolo and Barbaresco wine is made Merchants sell "single vineyard" or "appellation" wines. Alfredo is also known as the "Father of Arneis" because he spent much time in 1967 rediscovering and understanding this nearly extinct breed. Today Arnes is the most prestigious white wine from the Roero region north of Barolo. The wines made by Arnes are so successful that fellow vintners as far away as the West Coast are now cultivating Arnes to make wine! After 1970, the winery launched the idea of "wine with artist label". The Gualado family has 3 children: Emanuela, Elisabetta and Luca. In 1970, Alfredo and Luciana, thanks to their friendship and support with a number of local artists, started updating their labels. They mentioned that, on a long winter night in Langa, a group of artists were eating and drinking with them around the table, suggesting that they decorate their art at the winery with "art on the label". From that moment on, a new label for Vietti wines took shape, which is still in use today. At the same time, the idea of "artist-labeled wines" began to take shape and is still used in the winery's Barolo Riserva Villero.
