Le Sommelier Inc.

Varietal: 100% Nebbiolo

Review: “The 2003 Barolo La Rocca e La Pira, from vines between 20 and 50 years of age, is an expressive wine graced with dark cherries, plums, spices, cedar, menthol and minerals in a surprisingly accessible style for this producer. Medium in body, the wine offers superb length and finessed tannins that caress the palate through to the close. This is a little rounder, deeper and also plusher than the decidedly firm and austere Paje, and it is nearly as sublime. Here, too, Roagna passed on making a Riserva, blending the juice from their best lots into this entry-level Barolo. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2028.” 94+ points, (Antonio Galloni, erobertparker.com)