WTN: 95 v. 96 Roagna La Rocca e la Pira

Both were opened half an hour before serving and not decanted, possibly a mistake. Served in Burg bowls.

1995 Roagna Barolo La Rocca e La Pira DOCG 13.5%
Nose more feral and expressive. Deep cherry, leather, chalk, blood iron. Vibrant acidity and mouth-puckering tannins overwhelm fruit before food, but promise balance with food. Body on the medium side, wanted a little more weight.

1996 Roagna Barolo La Rocca e La Pira DOCG 13.5%
Nose more elegant and restrained. Bacon, tar, blood iron. Well-balanced combo of expressive fruit, fresh acidity and satisfying body. Tannins not as obtrusive as in the 1995.

I preferred the 96. Both were fine but not magical. A half bottle of the 96 in September of last year (from a different batch) was more pleasing. Both seem to have just entered the drinkable phase, and could last way longer, at least 10 more years.

The flavors described above were all faint, like the remnants of outlines in Kandinsky’s landscape paintings from the teens, landmarks in the transition to abstraction. It was more about the gestalt than the detail.

Kandinsky Landscape with Rain 1913.jpg

Landscape with Rain, 1913, Solomon Guggenheim Museum, New York

Both were opened half an hour before serving and not decanted, possibly a mistake. Served in Burg bowls.

1995 Roagna Barolo La Rocca e La Pira DOCG 13.5%
Nose more feral and expressive. Deep cherry, leather, chalk, blood iron. Vibrant acidity and mouth-puckering tannins overwhelm fruit before food, but promise balance with food. Body on the medium side, wanted a little more weight.

1996 Roagna Barolo La Rocca e La Pira DOCG 13.5%
Nose more elegant and restrained. Bacon, tar, blood iron. Well-balanced combo of expressive fruit, fresh acidity and satisfying body. Tannins not as obtrusive as in the 1995.

I preferred the 96. Both were fine but not magical. A half bottle of the 96 in September of last year (from a different batch) was more pleasing. Both seem to have just entered the drinkable phase, and could last way longer, at least 10 more years.

The flavors described above were all faint, like the remnants of outlines in Kandinsky’s landscape paintings from the teens, landmarks in the transition to abstraction. It was more about the gestalt than the detail.
We were fortunate to see the special Kandinsky exhibit last year at The Guggenheim. Hopefully you did too, it was really great.

Kandinsky Landscape with Rain 1913.jpg

Landscape with Rain, 1913, Solomon Guggenheim Museum, New York