Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

I didn’t decant this and the opening night glass still showed it had legs.

Birth year wine.

When we can back to it at the end of the night, it had added weight and complexity. Definitely a heady wine & a special experience.

Happy Birthday to me! — a day ago

Vino Joe

9.2

Mature but still with legs. Earthy, mushrooms, weighty. Solid but a bit underperforming for me. — a month ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.1

Fresh and elegant. Cherries, cassis, hints of smoke, tar and violets.
Very pleasant. — 3 months ago

B. Tutar

9.5

So lively but yet so complex. Bubbles were like a young vintage, amazing golden hue and great vanilla driven nose. So good — 8 days ago

Justin Bothur

8.9

Ripe red fruit, subtle leather and sandalwood tones. Earthy. — 16 days ago

Nagib Nasr

9.0

Quite nice. — 2 months ago

Ted

8.9

Just missing a giant bowl of pasta. For $13 you cannot go wrong. Plums and blueberries with nice acidity. — 3 months ago

with Jeni

Vanessa

9.4

The Rocca family makes Barbaresco wines today from various places, but their Rabajà vineyard is a PRIZED family heirloom, first acquired by Luisa and Francesco’s grandfather in the 1950s. The Nebbiolo vines now have an average age of 50-60 years. 🍇

Here we have the 2007 Bruno Rocca ‘Rabajà’ which is pale garnet in appearance.  Nebbiolo can make unexpectedly pale wines, despite having such a strong structure of tannins & acidity that provide runway for aging in the bottle 👀

As a ‘Barbaresco DOCG’, we know this wine was legally required to undergo extensive aging before release, softening tannins and lending complexity through secondary characteristics. 🪵

Indeed, this wine is layered in aromas and flavors including fig, red plum, black cherry, pomegranate, potpourri, rose, dried orange peel, black licorice, sandalwood, vanilla, nutmeg, cardamom, clove, star anise, tobacco, cigar, forest floor, mushroom, and leather.  It’s gorgeous and in an amazing place 😍

Cheers to the talented Rocca family and the deliciousness of this Rabajà Nebbiolo expression!!
— a month ago

with Deked1

Scott Koles

9.2

A bit past its prime but otherwise still smooth, earthy, and delicious. — 2 months ago

Joseph Barsky

9.3

Non Vintage in a 375 mL to kick off our 45th wedding anniversary celebration week at The Sardine Factory restaurant in Monterey, CA. Lovely fruit forward Rose with minimal brioche. Wonderful meal. — 3 months ago