WTN: Rosae 2003 (Ruche')

2003 Rosae - Giuseppe Rinaldi , Barolo country, Piemonte, Italy

This is a red wine Rinaldi makes on the side. It is 100% Ruche' (obscure Piemonte grape) and I guess it's not legitimate for the area because Ruche' is not mentioned on the label and its denomination is the lowly "vino da tavola rosso" (red table wine).
I bought a case of this a few years ago because it was not only a good bargain (Euro 5) but Giuseppe said it ages well (in the town of Castagnole Monferrato where this grape has gained a DOC they say the opposite - he claims it takes on some Barolo characteristics because of the terroir). I've had quite a few bottles and they have all been excellent assuming one likes Ruche's off the beaten path perfumey, herbacey qualities. At 5 years old I was curious to see how this wine was evolving.

Tasting note: The nose is typical Ruche': mediciney, floral, herbaceous (a fixed quality in this grape since its not from underripeness), spicey (cinnamon, licorice). Its a like it or hate it nose. Quite full bodied in the mouth without being artificially creamy. Dark to the eye with purple-brick rim. Yes the 2003 hot-as-hell year alcohol level can be tasted and smelled. No oak used. The mouth has a spicy, insistent finish which corresponds with the nose. Overall, is it a good wine? Yes. It has an overall charm and drinkeability despite its obvious weird-herbaceous character. Knowing Giuseppe doesn't add any weird additives does help: the security one feels when drinking a natural product that's good for you and not some mucked up industrial goop produced by over-ambitious nit-wits. Is it worth ageing? It was better, more fruit laden and characteristic 2 years ago. I think with the loss of fruit the balance between components has slightly gone out of whack making the alcohol more noticeable and unpleasant. It may become a mellow, interesting chap in five years time but it won't have the vitality and charisma it had when young.

Did fine with a sweet-sour spicy dish.

Regards,
Ago

Knowing Giuseppe doesn't add any weird additives does help: the security one feels when drinking a natural product that's good for you

Nice note and sounds good, but let's not get carried away. This is alcohol, not chamomile tea..

I first heard of Ruche a little over a year ago, probably on WT. The gist of the thread was what a rare treat aged Ruche can be. Well good luck trying to buy some aged Ruche. I did find some current vintage ('05) from the Castagnole DOC--Ferraris and Tavijn--that I've buried. Based on your note, perhaps I should try one?

All this waiting can be a pain. Luckily a couple of nice '93 BdMs recently reminded me that waiting can be worth it.

Ageing wines is not a big hobby in Italy. Even in regard to Barolo most people will tell you to drink it within ten years. Here it is generally held that a wine basically deteriorates over time, losing vibrancy without gaining all that much. I think it has to do with common practice, habit, and tradition: people are used to drinking wines fairly young, that's what they've always done and that's what they like. In a place like England, for instance, they've always had their wine shipped in from faraway places. By the time it got there in wooden barrels on ships and distributed it had undergone further ageing: so they developed a taste for aged wine. That's what I think at least, in broad terms. The French generally prefer young wine as well.

But to answer your question, I don't really know. I've never tried a ten or so year old bottle of Ruche'. There's also other factors involved like style and vintage. I noticed many producers make Ruche' in a fresh, early-drinking style. As far as vintage, 2003 for instance, may not be right for ageing. If the fruit keeps fading and the high alcohol pops out it may become quite unpleasant. I've heard heard alcohol also evaporates over time but I'm not sure if the quantities are significant.

I actually met Luca Ferraris when he was a partner with Francesco Gatto. Gatto did all the vinifying while Luca was the commercial man. I wonder how Luca makes his wine now since I don't think he has a clue. It was Gatto who told me Ruche' doesn't age. He created a new wine which blended Ruche' with Syrah for the express purpose of making it ageable.

So there you have it: young Gatto says it doesn't age, older Barolo master Rinaldi says it does (but only cause its grown on Barolo soils.) Confusion.

Enjoy
Ago

Knowing Giuseppe doesn't add any weird additives does help: the security one feels when drinking a natural product that's good for you

Nice note and sounds good, but let's not get carried away. This is alcohol, not chamomile tea..

As a matter of fact, Rahsaan, I was thinking of mixing Ruche' and Chamomile tea together, calling it Ruchamomile and selling it at state fairs as a tonic.

But really, as we all know in moderate amounts wine is proven to be good for you ; but beyond that have you ever over-drank a spoofulated wine? The hangover is much worse...