Wine of the Day (1-6-2020): Rocca Giovanni Barolo 2014

Written by on in Flavor of the day, Italian

A bottle of Rocca Giovanni Barolo 2014 was gifted to me over the holidays by a dear friend who really knows little about wine. What he does know, however, is that I adore Italian wine, so he went to a store, and asked a clerk for a nice bottle. The clerk did him justice.

I wasn’t expecting a gift, so I was overwhelmed by my friend’s generosity and kind words when he presented me with the Barolo.

Of course, I couldn’t wait to open the bottle, even though Barolos can age for years in the cellar and improve over time. But since time is no longer on my side – I’m 67 – I’ve lost all patience for wine preservation and I’ve come to the conclusion that it is best to drink it while I can with friends and family who are also still around.

Rocca Giovanni Barolo 2014 is a decent expression of the Piedmont’s noble Nebbiolo red grape: fragrant, medium-bodied, garnet colored, and full of cherry and raspberry flavors. The finish is dry and improves on taste with a secondary layer of spicy cinnamon and field herbs.

While it’s not a “killer” Barolo in terms of being the best of the vintage, RG Barolo represents a good quality wine at a fair price ($36.99 at Wegman’s in Burlington). Based on my research, it’s made by a hard-working third-generation wine family living in the small village of Monforte D’Alba – one of 11 ancient communes where Barolo producers receive Italy’s highest DOCG quality designation. (Each year the wine is subjected to a battery of tests from an official panel to determine if the Barolo meets the zone’s exacting standards. If not, the Barolo must be declassified to a lesser wine.)

The Giovanni Family, from left: Rocca, Caterina, Federica and Maurizio.

Rocca Giovanni owns 23 hectares (56 acres) of land comprising six vineyards. He shares the work with his wife Caterina, daughter Federica, and son Maurizio and receives guidance from famed eonologist Piero Ballario. The Nebbiolo vines, first planted in 1974, grow in sandy, calcareous soils. About 9,500 bottles of Giovanni’s 2014 Barolo were produced. The winery’s total output is 80,000 bottles, which includes two single-vineyard DOCG Barolos – Ravera di Monforte (8,000 bottles) and Mosconi (1,400 bottles).

Overall, the Rocca Giovanni Barolo 2014 is approachable now and represents a good deal at $36.99.

And I’m most grateful to my friend for introducing me to a new Barolo companion.