1993 Albino Rocca Barbaresco Vigneto Brich Ronchi

Community Tasting Notes (5) Avg Score: 91.8 points

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  4/19/2019 - forceberry wrote: 93 Points

  13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
  
  Dark-toned, somewhat developed and slightly hazy black cherry color. Cool yet very open and juicy nose with aromas of black raspberry-driven ripe forest fruits, some developed truffle tones and leathery character, a little bit of beef jerky, light black cherry tones, a hint of wizened sour cherries, a touch of licorice and a cooling, lifted whiff of mint. The wine is medium-bodied, quite complex and rather tightly-knit on the palate with flavors of sour cherries and sour red plums, gravelly minerality, some developed leathery tones and light beef jerky character, light tart notes of fresh blackcurrants, a hint of black tea and a touch of smoke. The wine is moderately high in acidity with still rather firm and grippy tannins, making the overall feel quite structured. The finish is long, complex and rather grippy with layered flavors of wizened black cherries, black tea, some leather, a little bit of dried tart red berries, light tarry notes, a hint of blackcurrant and a touch of earthy spices.
  
  A classic yet at the same time almost surprisingly brooding and dark-toned Barbaresco that performed slightly better than the last bottle I had some two years ago. I originally thought this was 1 1990's Bordeaux based on the dark-toned, slightly blackcurrant-driven tones, firm tannins and a subtly minty whiff in the nose, but slowly I transitioned to Nebbiolo as the sour cherry and tar notes became more obvious. However, I though that this was Barolo and I was surprised to learn that such a brooding wine turned out to be a Barbaresco from a vintage generally considered to be of quite poor for Barbaresco. Fine stuff and in much better condition than the previous bottle - that one was at the end of its life, while this has still some miles more to go.

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  10/21/2018 - BrunelloBob wrote: 88 Points

  Auction purchase. Fully mature. I may have liked this better 5 years ago.

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  11/22/2016 - forceberry wrote: 90 Points

  Translucent dark cherry color with a pale rim. Very aromatic, juicy and attractive nose with quite sweet aromas of dark cherry, dried flowers, cherry jam notes concentrated by the age, some truffle and a hint of smoke. Quite full-bodied and moderately tannic on the palate with flavors of dried dark cherries, sweet red fruits, some licorice, a little earth and a hint of stony minerality. The mouthfeel is very suave and attractive, but also a little flabby and lacking precision, due to the rather low acidity. The finish is very grippy with powerful tannins, but flavor-wise somewhat dried-up and quite sweet with notes of wizened cherries, exotic spices like cumin and turmeric, a little earthy tar and a hint of raisin.
  
  Overall this is an elegant Barbaresco, but most likely at the end of its life span: the palate is dominated by sweet notes of raisin and fruit preserves concentrated by the age and the wine seemed to fall apart in the glass only after 20-30 minutes, leaving behind a raisined, semi-oxidized red reminiscent of Tawny Port. Thus, if you happen to have the wine in your cellar, time to drink up. Serve chilled enough, to push the acidity up, and quickly enough, not letting the wine have enough time to die. Still very delightful stuff, but not for very long.

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  12/28/2015 - Kraussja Likes this wine: 94 Points

  Double decanted for 6 hours before drinking.
  
  Dried deep red fruit on the nose with a little earthy, forest floor. Raisins on the palate, almost like an Amarone. Finish was classic Nebbiolo - tar and orange peels.
  
  Delicious wine, aged perfectly and primed to drink right now.

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  2/8/2006 - trankin wrote: 92 Points

  Southern Westchester Piedmont Offline Feb 8 (Meritage in Scarsdale): Explosive fruit, bright red cherries. Quite tart but well-balanced by some flavors of vanilla. Quite nice and drinking well, if still young.

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