Jay Kline

9.2

As someone who has been described as an Italophile, I’m particularly enamored with the wines of Piemonte. You’ve probably all heard the saying, “the more you learn, the less you seem to know”. Yeah, I don’t know that it really makes sense. Yet, it seems to apply more and more these days. This wonderful bottle from Giovanni Rosso was an entire lesson of its own for me.

Okay, so I’ve been enjoying the Barolo’s from Giovanni Rosso for almost a decade now and it was not until this bottle that I realized this is not their “classico” but instead, a blend of their holdings exclusively throughout Serralunga d’Alba. A sort of “super classico” (I just made that up) I guess one could say. Since the mid-1990’s, they have been best known for their Serralunga parcels in Cerretta (Bricco). Later, in 2004, they were the first to release a single-vineyard bottling of the Serra MGA (not to be confused with the La Serra MGA in La Morra 🙄). More recently, they have picked up parcels in other Serralunga MGA’s including Costabella, Sorano, Lirano, Damiano, as well as the up and coming Meriame and their most famous of all, Vignarionda (the only other MGA from which they do a single-vineyard besides the aforementioned Serra and Cerretta). I know…it’s a lot to absorb. Let’s just get to the notes.

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2019 “Del Comune Di Serralunga d’Alba” pours a pale garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful, heady notes of red (mostly) and black fruit: fresh raspberries, pomegranate, blood orange, roses, talcum powder, freshly tarred roof and dry earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is a powerful expression of the 2019 vintage that needs some time to settle down. The fruit profile is quite big but the classic Serralunga structure is there in the background. You can drink now if you’re a hedonist (guilty) but I suspect a bigger reward to come from 2029-2040+. — 2 months ago

romo

9.1

Rosso tannin and zingy pink peppercorn. Held up to @Chris Buggy pizza. 🍕 — a year ago

Brent Clayton

9.0

Great with some Flannery Hangars on the grill! A bit alcoholic but nice red fruits and great with the steak. — 3 months ago

Robert Swart

8.9

High acid, medium bodied and tannins. Petrol, black fruits, and barn yard on the nose. — 8 months ago

J B

9.6

This was really great. Lighter Pinot like but more intricate lots to like. — a year ago

Matt Perlman

9.2

Appropriately named as we served this estate’s rosso at our wedding and I suppose it’s therefore “in the blood” at this point. Dark, earthy, complex and alluring, violets, raspberry, subtle woodsmoke and dried underbrush. Smooth but firm structurally. I buy it whenever I can and it will hold and improve — a year ago

AT

9.1

So much like a Pinot — 5 months ago

Kelly Carlin

8.9

Great food-friendly, bubbly, refreshing acid. Perfect with pizza. — 8 months ago

Jamie Lauder

9.0

2021 vintage.
Violets, roses, cherries and orange peel.
Medium bodied, juicy, spicy and tart.
Raspberries, savoury, dried flowers and slight earthy finish.
Wine maker Davide is Giovanni’s son and trained in Burgundy.
In July 2016, they bought an old vineyard in north slope of Mount Etna, Sicily.
14 hectares of which 6 hectares are dedicated to viticulture.
1.2 ha for whites (Carricante) and 5.5 ha for reds (Nerello Mascalese)

— 9 months ago

Ben Christen

8.9

Nice, like-able wine — 2 years ago

with Kevin