2017 Luigi Oddero Barolo Rocche Rivera
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With fruit from Castiglione Falletto (the Scarrone cru to be precise), the 2017 Barolo Rocche Rivera is chiseled and tight with a razor-sharp mineral element that runs through wild cherry fruit, blue flower and light spice. That mineral backbone gives this wine structure and finesse and adds to the vertical or lifted quality of the bouquet. These elegant qualities make Castiglione Falletto one of my favorite villages in the 2017 vintage. Production is 6,000 bottles, and we will see this wine released this upcoming October 2021.
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Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
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The nose of the 2017 Barolo Rocche Rivera is highly refined with rose petal, anise, and dried cranberry. The palate is lifted and structured, with tannins that continue to build tremendously through a long finish. Drink 2024-2046. Located in Santa Maria di La Morra, the Figli Luigi Oddero estate was established in 2006 with the split of Luigi and Giacomo Oddero. The holdings of the estate were divided, and the estate today is comprised of 31 hectares, with 21 of those in Barolo. Luigi passed away in 2010, and today his wife Lena and children Maria and Giovanni look after the estate. Lena brought on Dante Scaglione, who for 25 years was the winemaker for Bruno Giacosa and Francesco Versio, to oversee the winemaking. Fermentation occurs in cement, with maceration lasting 15-25 days, followed by aging in large botti of various sizes.
The 2017 Barolo Rocche Rivera is effusive and intensely floral in its first impression. Taut and focused on the palate, the 2017 possesses a very nice balance of mid-weight structure and brilliant, red-toned fruit. Crushed rose petal, spice, leather and cedar are some of the nuances develop with a bit of time in the glass. The Rocche Rivera will appeal most to readers who enjoy linear, vibrant Barolos.
Grapes come from the Scarrone cru in Castiglione Falletto. 'The soils here are very sandy and high in chalk. It is situated on the same ridge as the Rocche di Castiglione cru with similar soils.' Just mid ruby with the beginning of orange tinges. Compact, complex cherry fruit nose with a peppery prickle and minerally hints. Bags of chewy, gripping tannins framing the tightly stitched, sour-cherry fruit. Big structure. Needs more time to come out of its tannic shell. (WS)