Winemaker Notes
Deep garnet red. Intense, frank, fruity, cherry, blackberry, vanilla, toasted nuts, sweet spices, complex, balsamic and mineral notes. Rich, soft, fresh, fine tannins, good persistence.
Savory pasta dishes, grilled meat, and medium seasoned cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Forest floor, new leather, underbrush and eucalyptus aromas mingle with a whiff of peppercorn. On the full-bodied, focused palate, tightly knit, noble tannins and bright acidity frame juicy Morello cherry, licorice, tobacco and a hint of truffle. Drink 2026–2036.
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Wine Spectator
Fresh and pure, with rose, strawberry, cherry and licorice flavors that are well-defined and long. Tobacco and tar accents add complexity as this red remains delicate and detailed from beginning to end. This is all about finesse rather than power. Best from 2022 through 2038.
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Decanter
Albino Rocca’s wine are characterised by beautifully pristine aromas and a seductive texture. In this example, I was arrested by a vibrant top note of intense redcurrant and violets and very juicy acidity: I love its brightness and intensity. It needs time but has fantastic potential.
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James Suckling
Boysenberries, cherry tart, blueberries and lavender introduce a very floral bouquet. Despite the initial, fragrant impression, this Barbaresco is deadly serious, coating the full-bodied palate in layers of structured tannins. Impressive, contrastive wine. Drink from 2024.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
These are all finely crafted wines from Albino Rocca. The 2016 Barbaresco Ronchi is a precise and balanced expression that shows impeccable aromas and fresh primary fruit. You get a clear and unobstructed view onto the vintage thanks to the small details—wild berry, rose hip, toasted almond and licorice—that this wine delivers with such forthcoming ease. I would pair it with a post-meal plate of powerful gorgonzola, sliced pears and sweet dates.
Rating: 93+
Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Grown throughout the area, as well as in the neighboring Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, it reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Outside of Italy, growers are still very much in the experimentation stage but some success has been achieved in parts of California. Somm Secret—If you’re new to Nebbiolo, start with a charming, wallet-friendly, early-drinking Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba.
A wine that most perfectly conveys the spirit and essence of its place, Barbaresco is true reflection of terroir. Its star grape, like that in the neighboring Barolo region, is Nebbiolo. Four townships within the Barbaresco zone can produce Barbaresco: the actual village of Barbaresco, as well as Neive, Treiso and San Rocco Seno d'Elvio.
Broadly speaking there are more similarities in the soils of Barbaresco and Barolo than there are differences. Barbaresco’s soils are approximately of the same two major soil types as Barolo: blue-grey marl of the Tortonion epoch, producing more fragile and aromatic characteristics, and Helvetian white yellow marl, which produces wines with more structure and tannins.
Nebbiolo ripens earlier in Barbaresco than in Barolo, primarily due to the vineyards’ proximity to the Tanaro River and lower elevations. While the wines here are still powerful, Barbaresco expresses a more feminine side of Nebbiolo, often with softer tannins, delicate fruit and an elegant perfume. Typical in a well-made Barbaresco are expressions of rose petal, cherry, strawberry, violets, smoke and spice. These wines need a few years before they reach their peak, the best of which need over a decade or longer. Bottle aging adds more savory characteristics, such as earth, iron and dried fruit.