Barolo, Rocche Rivera, 2019

Luminous ruby fruits lead the way in what is quite a taut, powerful expression of Castiglione. Mineral and intense with red cherry stones, fresh raspberry and a core of stones and salt. Shows the more austere side of the vintage as the tannins clasp the fruit while beams of acidity cut across the palate. Highly impressive and a great ball of energy, it is a wine for laying down over the medium to long term. Rocche Rivera is the historic name for a fabulous little-known plot planted in the early 1990s within the Scarrone vineyard. It is effectively a continuation of the famous Rocche vineyard of Castiglione, sitting above and to the right of Roagna’s Pira. The poor soils of sandy limestone with some clay, as well as east facing exposure, make for a wine that favours elegance, freshness and minerality. The 2019 was aged for 24 months in large used oak casks.