I will come straight to the point here: I think Renato Corino’s Barolo, Rocche dell’Annunziata is routinely one of the outstanding values in any Barolo vintage. The 2019 is exceptional.
1. Rocche dell’Annunziata ranks as one of the greatest vineyards not just of La Morra but of the whole of Barolo – it is considered equivalent to a Grand Cru (if you wanted to apply a Burgundian term). It possesses a long history, dating back beyond 1194, when it was the property of the Benedictine Abbey of San Martino in the village of La Morra. So many growers own a small part of this 30-hectare vineyard, which goes some way to justify its importance – it is no coincidence that the estates of Bartolo Mascarello, Paolo Scavino, Roberto Voerzio, Mauro Veglio or Lorenzo Accomasso, amongst others, all have holdings here. Rocche dell’Annunziata lies at 300 metres above sea level and comprises south, south-east and south-west facing slopes, where the vineyards are based on calcareous clay, almost chalky white on the higher parts of the slope, with a high proportion of silt. This soil composition is said to lead to the striking perfume and silky textural character common to the wines of this Cru.
2. The 2019 vintage is a notable success for Renato, and I would place it as high, if not higher, than any other vintage I have tasted at this address before. I think the style of Renato’s wines often benefits from that touch of austerity you find in more classic-natured vintages. For further comments on this theme and the 2019 vintage, please follow this link to my Vintage Report. To me, Renato’s Barolo typify the qualities I associate with the commune of La Morra: a certain silkiness on the palate and a softness of texture that combine to create a sense of accessibility not common to many Barolo districts, while possessing a generous ripeness of fruit. His generic Barolo, ‘del Comune di La Morra’, is often one of the great values of the region, while the ‘Rocche’ itself delivers what you would expect from such a highly revered vineyard. It continues to amaze me that there are certain estates in Barolo that deliver great quality, continue to be well-reviewed by major critics, and yet remain stubbornly under the radar. The plus side to this is that their release prices remain keen, even in outstanding vintages.