2014 Barbaresco Curra Riserva

Bruno Rocca and his family have recently started a Riserva program that allows us to enjoy his wines six years after the harvest. The 2014 Barbaresco Riserva Currà has evolved over this time to show soft and silky tannins, with light fruit tones, spice, blue flower and grilled herbs that dance around the perimeter of the bouquet. This wine focuses on the smaller details of Nebbiolo, its streamlined texture and the fragile aromas of the grape. The wine has aged in oak for 30 months and comes out boasting beautiful clarity and integration as a result. This vintage shows an extremely fine and seamless side of the grape. A mere 2,200 750-milliliter bottles were made.

Rocca's 2014 Barbaresco Riserva Currà is bright and beautifully focused, with beams of Currà tension that lift up the sweet red cherry fruit. Rose petal, kirsch, mint and citrus peel add to the wine's energy and overall sense of drive. The 2014 is a very pretty wine, but it might have been even better with a bit less time in cask. Medium in body and slightly nervous, the 2014 opens up nicely with time in the glass. I very much like the tension and energy here.

Once again tasted from cask, the 2014 Barbaresco Riserva Currà has really come along over the last year as it has gained quite a bit of mid-palate intensity and overall depth. Even so, it is clearly very early days for this promising and deeply expressive Barbaresco.