Winemaker Notes
Barolo’s smallest cru, known as Bricco Rocche is located just outside of Castiglione Falletto, wedged between the vineyards of Villero and Rocche di Castiglione at an altitude of approximately 1,200 feet (350–370 meters). Meaning ‘peak of the rock,’ Bricco Rocche has been an exclusive monopoly almost entirely owned by the Ceretto family since the early 1970s. The inimitable vineyard site has a southeast-to-southwest exposure and is located in the center of the DOCG Barolo. Vines are grown both organically and biodynamically and the soil comprises of Diano sandstone, silt and clay which are collectively known for producing wines of great balance.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Scented cranberries and redcurrants with lots of bright floral notes, this is both lifted and expressive on the nose and well as quite seductively perfumed. Smooth and so supple, tannins are so fine and integrated, barely there except a powdery coating around the mouth giving some bite and tension while the rest of the flavours drive through the centre from start to finish. Feels purposeful and intentional, so well crafted, perfect tannins and fruit purity. Great freshness, but more that this wine hints to so much future pleasure. Clarity and precision with so much nuance. Chalky, wet stone finish, ends cool with a minty touch. Long. Dreamy.
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James Suckling
This full-bodied, brawny wine is built for aging. Firm tannins wrap around red plums, iron, balsam and wet stones for a very dry, appetizing and bracing mouthfeel. The wine will soften and gain amazing complexity with time. Try from 2026 and beyond.
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Vinous
The 2020 Barolo Bricco Rocche is powerful, tannic and quite closed. This embryonic Barolo is going to need time to come together, as it is quite reticent today. It shows darker fruit, energy and more body than the Rocche di Castiglione. Scorched earth, leather, spice and crushed flowers linger on the driving finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
The nose of this Barolo draws you in with the alluring dance of cherries, cranberries, and raspberries, while hints of mint, thyme, and basil add an intriguing herbaceous touch. Cinnamon, white pepper, and vanilla weave between the mixed berry flavors across the palate, creating a complex and inviting wine. Well-structured and supported by firm tannins and lively acidity, ensures a lifted and pretty wine that lingers long after the last sip. Drink 2026 - 2045.
Cellar Selection -
Wine Spectator
Rose, cherry, strawberry and white pepper aromas and flavors are the hallmarks of this perfumed red, which is elegant and harmonious, revealing light oak spice and civilized tannins on the lingering finish. Best from 2027 through 2042.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Ceretto 2020 Barolo Bricco Rocche has ripe fruit, perfumed wood, sticky cherry, lady's perfume, lilac, passion flower and good acidity, and the wine finishes on a sour note. This hot vintage does not live up to some of the exceptional editions of Bricco Rocche we have seen in the recent past like in 2016 and 2019. It lacks the fight and grit that those cooler vintages delivered so well. This 2020 vintage feels more monotone overall; although it does have Nebbiolo high notes, the volume is turned down a little.
"The Langhe hills of Piedmont constitute that area of northern Italy where the wide and flat Pò river valley suddenly disappears and gives way on all sides to hulking and precipitous slopes. The Langhe hills are more than hills. They are ancient and rugged earth. Their narrow peaks are topped by castles, and they are thick to the horizon with grapevines. The Langhe hills are home to a small group of farmers and winemakers who, together, have succeeded in creating some of the planet’s finest expressions of place.
The Ceretto family is among that fortunate group. For three generations members of the Ceretto family have transformed the fruit of the Langhe’s vineyards into wines that speak of the regions identity. The famed Italian gastronome and intellectual Luigi Veronelli wrote, ""The land, the land, the land, the land, always, the land."" This philosophy is central to the Ceretto family. Reverence for this land has passed from Riccardo, who blended fruit from the region’s best vineyards, to Bruno and Marcello, who purchased Langhe vineyards and began bottling single crus, and finally to Alessandro, who is taking the winery into the 21st century by using natural methods to foster vines that are stronger, healthier, and more in balance with their environment. The Ceretto family has always been committed to producing the most expressive and authentic wines their land can yield."
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.
