I have just returned to work after a trip to Italy. We started with three nights in Piedmont and upon arrival went straight to dinner in La Morra, following a recommendation from a friend of ours. The restaurant was Massimo Camia and is actually at the bottom of the hill with the town of Barolo above it. We visited on January 12th.
The star of the dinner was a magnum of Renato Ratti Barolo Roche dell Annunziata 2010. Amazing power and intensity with black olive and licorice to the fore. Full-on yet a softness to the tannins – one of my family member’s suggested “succulent sandpaper”. The wine held fantastic elegance with great balancing acid. Wow.
We cannot sell you any of this 2010 however the 2014 vintage is currently in stock (although not in magnum format, sadly) and was one of our absolute favourite wines of the 2014 vintage in Barolo. Tasting note below:
Hands down the best Barolo I have had out of the 2014 vintage. Roche dell Annunziata, I later discovered, is often considered the ‘Grand Cru’ of La Morra and it is pretty clear to me why this is the case. Very aromatic on the nose with an array of red fruits: cranberry, dried raspberry, some cola and herbal botanical notes too. The palate shows a diverse and wide-reaching array of flavours from red and black liquorice to herbal tones and a distinctive and quite unique flavour of blood orange which I particularly love. This lends a sense of succulence to the acidity whilst also bringing freshness and drive. Structurally, on top of the acid line, the wine is precise, very finely textured and very long with super fine tannin rippling into the distance. Only a small amount available. – Ches Cook, FWC.
“Eucalyptus, woodland berry, rose and baking spice aromas take shape in the glass. This is all about finesse and energy, doling out flavors of juicy red cherry, crushed raspberry, cinnamon and licorice alongside a backbone of fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. Still young and tightly wound, it will benefit from more time in the cellar. Drink 2024–2039. 95 Points.” - Kerin O’Keefe
Ian Cook