Brovia – Barolo Rocche di Castiglione: 1982-2010

Brovia is one of Piedmont’s historic families. Giacinto Brovia worked sixty harvests until his passing last summer, a testament to the firmly held values of a local culture where farming and winemaking is a way of life rather than a job. Today, the estate is run by Brovia's daughters, Elena and Cristina, and Elena’s husband, Alex Sánchez. The Brovia wines have often been outstanding, but over the last two decades or so, quality and consistency have both surged, placing this small, family-run estate in the upper echelon of Barolo producers. Brovia bottles single-vineyard Barolos from Rocche di Castiglione, Villero and Garblèt Sué, all in Castiglione Falletto, and Brea in Serralunga, plus a straight Barolo that is made mostly from young vine Brea fruit.

In my view, the Rocche di Castiglione remains Brovia's flagship Barolo, although Brea has come on very strong since it was added to the range in the mid 1990s. Barolos from Rocche are distinguished by their floral aromatics, precise fruit and silky, polished tannins, all qualities that often give them early accessibility, but without sacrificing longevity. Stylistically, Rocche di Castiglione can be compared with Bricco Rocche, which sits just above, and also Monprivato for its ability to produce deceptively mid-weight yet age-worthy Barolos. This extensive vertical was a great opportunity to revisit many of the classics as well as a few wines from less well known but equally noteworthy vintages.

The Brovia estate traces its lineage back to 1863, but the modern-day history begins in the early 1940s, when the family moved to Castiglione Falletto from their homes in Alba and Torino. In 1943 the Brovias bought a farmhouse at the current site of the winery, along with vineyards in Garblèt Sué. Virtually all of the production was sold in demijohn or in cask, as was then the custom. These were not easy times, as Piedmont struggled mightily to emerge from a period of post World War II malaise that saw young people abandon the countryside in search of work in the cities.

Giacinto Brovia was just six years old when his father passed away in 1932, which, along with the aftermath of the war, caused the family business to cease operations for about twenty years. By 1953, Brovia was ready to pick things up again. That year, Brovia bought grapes from another grower in Rocche, igniting a longstanding love affair with the vineyard, one of the steepest and most dramatic sites in all of Barolo. Brovia put feelers out with the local mediatori - brokers who transacted grapes and land on behalf of buyers and sellers - but to no avail. Many years passed with little in the way of developments.

Rocche di Castiglione, Castiglione Falletto

Then, out of the blue, Brovia heard through a friend a piece of land was for sale in Rocche. The year was 1968. Even back then, vineyard purchases were done with maximum secrecy. One night, late, under the full moon, Brovia went to see the vineyard. “It’s incredible to think about it.” says Elena Brovia. “Today, it is pretty much impossible to buy a parcel in Rocche, but even back then, that hillside was very highly regarded, so much so that my father wanted to visit the vineyard at night, when no one could see him walking among the rows. If he had been seen there would have suddenly been immense competition for that parcel and the price would have surely gone up. My father and the buyer reached a handshake agreement on the spot and the morning after the deal was done.”

The Brovias also made Barolo from vineyards they did not own, the most famous being Monprivato, which was added to the portfolio in 1985. I have only tasted the 1985 Brovia Monprivato once, some years back, but it was magnificent. The Brovias rented that parcel and made wine through the 1990 harvest, after which the owner sold the parcel to Mauro Mascarello. In 1991, the Brovias bought a piece in Villero and in 1995 added their holding in Brea, one of the most striking monopoles in all of Piedmont. “When we bought Villero we thought it would be more similar to Monprivato,” says Elena Brovia. “The exposure is the same, the hills are parallel and the soils are pretty similar, but instead the wines are completely different.”

Multimedia: Alex Sánchez shares his thoughts on Brea

The Brovia wines of the 1980s and 1990s were at times terrific, but they were also hit-and-miss. In the mid-1990s, quality started to improve. The first French oak casks arrived in 1995. Italian barrel maker Gamba fashioned Brovia’s casks from un-toasted, vapor-bent staves, but the new casks were introduced gradually for fear of marking the wines excessively with oak. Around 1996, Brovia began to lower yields through more aggressive green harvesting.

Still, in this tasting, it is quite evident that the wines of the 1990s are a bit heavier than the wines Brovia is making today. The period around 2004-2005 ushered in another meaningful uptick in quality. According to Alex Sánchez, the main reason for this is an evolution in the approach to pumpovers. Previously, Brovia followed a pretty even-handed protocol during the entire fermentation process. Today, the tendency is to do more, but shorter, pumpovers during the peak of fermentation, and fewer but longer pumpovers at the start and end of fermentation. Delestage, a technique of racking during maceration and fermentation that introduces oxygen, is also now standard here. Like many producers, Brovia began paying greater attention to the quality of corks, something that has been a real killer for other estates in Piedmont.

The latest evolutions include a conversion to biological farming that started in 2010. Opening up of canopies and de-leafing – all the rage in the early 2000s – has now pretty much been discontinued. In the cellar, fermentations remain quite long and mostly traditional in inspiration. The use of French oak has come down, and today, the Barolos are mostly aged in Slavonian oak casks.

Brovia's Brea monopole. Tucked away from view off the main roads in Serralunga, Brea's potential is only now being fully recognized

The Brovia Barolos remain very much classic, structured wines that capture the essence of some of the best sites in the region. In warmer vintages, the wines can drink well early, but history has shown these Barolos enter the sweet spot around age 10-15. Rocche is the most open of the four vineyard designates in its youth, so it is the perfect Barolo with which to explore the house style. Brovia remains one of the Piedmont’s great historic families. Quality has never been higher and prices remain exceedingly fair considering the quality of what goes into the bottle.

The 1982 Barolo Riserva Rocche is a real stunner. A super-classic profile of tobacco, underbrush, dried cherries, anise and mint lift out of the glass. Now at a glorious peak of maturity, the 1982 has enough depth and density to drink well for at least another decade. The 1982 is a classic wine from this great site, with an eternal sense of beauty that is captivating. The Rocche aromatics alone are utterly beguiling. With time in the glass, the 1982 just keeps getting better and better. In 1982, the Rocche was released as a Riserva. There is no denying the 1982 has aged spectacularly well. 96/Drinking window: 2015-2022. Now fully mature, the 1985 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia is a wine to drink over the near-term. Huge and voluptuous on the palate, the 1985 retains incredible depth richness and power, but the bouquet is now starting to show fully tertiary notes of mushrooms, earthiness and licorice. The 1985 is a big boy, though, so it will hold for a number of years based on its sheer depth, it's hard to see the 1985 improving much from here. 91/Drinking window: 2015.

Brovia's 1986 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia is sweet, perfumed and succulent to the core. Beautifully open and expressive today, the 1986 stands out for the purity of its fruit and soft, open personality. The fruit is front and center in a resonant, generous Barolo that will drink well for at least another 5 years, perhaps more. Years ago, both Bruno Giacosa and Bartolo Mascarello told me they preferred their 1986s to the 1985s. The characteristic sweetness that is the signature of this hail-plagued, forgotten vintage is front and center. 92/Drinking window: 2015-2019. One of the real surprises in this vertical, the 1987 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia remains shockingly young, primary and fresh. The cool, rainy vintage produced a mid-weight, gracious Rocche that is pure class. Today, nearly thirty years later, the 1987 is incredibly expressive. Hints of pine, tobacco and mint add nuance on the finish. The 1987 isn't a big wine, but it sure is pretty, not to mention a huge overachiever relative to expectations. Well-stored bottles should drink well for another decade. What an unexpected surprise this is. 94/Drinking window: 2015-2024.

Firm, grippy tannins provide the backbone for the 1989 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia. Super classic through and through, the 1989 captures the essence of this great vintage. The 1989 is deceptively weightless in the glass, with exquisite aromatics, finely sculpted fruit and exceptional balance. Hints of rose petal, sage, rosemary and anise add nuance on the striking finish. The 1989 needs considerable air for the bouquet to totally open up, but it is beautiful just the same. “I remember that yields were especially low in 1989,” adds Elena Brovia. “It was also a very hard vintage to sell because everyone wanted 1990. A few years later, people began to realize 1989 was the better vintage, but by then all the wine had been sold. It was really with the 1985 vintage that things started to change here in terms of the market becoming stronger." 95/Drinking window: 2015-2024. The 1990 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia needs quite a bit of air to open up. Sweet, layered and deeply expressive, the 1990 is an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next few years. Licorice, spices, dried cherries, orange peel and star anise are all laced together in a pretty, tertiary Barolo that has reached its peak. Well-stored bottles will hold on for a few more years, but I wouldn't push my luck too far. The 1990 will appeal most to readers who enjoy fully mature Barolos. 91/Drinking window: 2015-2019.

Multimedia: Alex Sánchez on Rocche di Castiglione

The 1993 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia is a bit rustic and rough around the edges, but, all things considered, it has aged well. At 21 years of age, I don't see the 1993 ever matching the best wines that have been made here. The 1993 needs a lot of air, as the tannins remain quite firm. Overall, the 1993 is a solid wine from an average vintage with no real flaws, but not much distinction, either. 91/Drinking window: 2015-2023. A real stunner, the 1996 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia is flat-out beautiful. Even today, the 1996 is dark, intense and super-classic in its profile. I am not sure when the 1996 is going to arrive at full maturity, as that is still a ways out. Plums, black cherries, menthol, pine and spices meld into the finish in this big, structured Barolo. This is the vintage where I first took serious note of the Brovia Barolos. It’s great to see the 1996 Rocche is still in great shape. By 1996, the Brovia Barolos were being partly aged in French oak casks, while the intensity of color and overall clarity of the flavors suggest the beginning of a marked effort to raise quality. Of course, 1996 is also one of the most important Barolo vintages of the last thirty years. 95/Drinking window: 2016-2031.

The 1998 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia is a gorgeous wine to drink now and over the next 10-15 years. Dark red cherries, plums, smoke, tobacco and menthol flesh out as the 1998 shows off its silky, exceptionally polished personality. Sweet rose petal and spice notes wrap around the succulent finish. The 1998 won't last forever, but it is drinking very well right now. “I’ve always liked this vintage,” says Alex Sánchez. “I remember when the wines were young they were incredibly transparent to site. Sure, 1998 isn’t one of our most important vintages, that is obvious, but the wines have their own sense of beauty and elegance. In that sense, 1998 is like 2008.” 93/Drinking window: 2015-2025. The 1999 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia is another super-classic wine. A firm, tannic wine when it was first released, the 1999 has developed into a gorgeous, polished Barolo. Sweet floral notes, red stone fruits, mint, spices and iron inform the finish in a tannic, structured Barolo that will drink well for at least another decade. The 1999 is vivid, precise and crystalline. Think of it as a modern-day 1982 or a more refined version of 1996. Interestingly, this is another vintage that flew under the radar for some years. 95/Drinking window: 2015-2029.

The 2001 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Nothing in particular stands out, just the wine's extraordinary balance. Dark, sumptuous and utterly striking, the 2001 is deep, fresh and vibrant. The 2001 impresses for its mid-palate depth, pliancy and purity. Still an infant, the 2001 needs to be cellared for at least a few years. What a gorgeous wine this is. 95/Drinking window: 2019-2041. Rose petal, mint and spice notes open up in the 2004 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia, a wine that is just beginning to open up. Silky and beautifully perfumed throughout, the 2004 is all about balance and harmony. With time in the glass, the aromas become super-expressive while the tannins seem to release the fruit. The flavors remain bright, nuanced and detailed throughout. This is a magnificent showing. 96/Drinking window: 2015-2029.

The 2005 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia is all about perfume. Rose petals, violets, mint and cinnamon all lift from the glass. Here the tannins are firm and edgy, but that should not be an issue for those who can still cellar the 2005. Readers who like super-classic Barolos will flip out over the 2005. Today, the wine is bright, precise and utterly crystalline in its beauty. The 2005 will always remain a nervous, edgy Barolo, but classicists will find much to admire. Nebbiolo has a way of surprising, more often than not positively. This is a perfect example of that. 95+/Drinking window: 2015-2030. A huge, structured wine, the 2006 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia is deep, powerful and structured. This is a decidedly brooding, tannic Barolo that is many years away from peaking. Intense fruit and equally imposing tannins meld together in a powerful, structured Barolo that is going to need time. Interestingly, Alex Sanchez adds that the 2006 was very light in body and color for the first year of its life. You’d never guess that today. 95+/Drinking window: 2018-2036.

An exotic, flashy beauty, the 2007 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia boasts gorgeous depth and raciness. This is one of the more voluptuous wines in this vertical. As always, the Rocche is the Brovia Barolo that is most marked in warmer years. The 2007 is an especially dense, racy Rocche, but it nevertheless possesses terrific overall balance, a testament to Rocche's position as one of the truly great vineyard sites in Barolo. Hints of rose petal, mint, licorice and red stone fruits wrap around the super-expressive finish. Giacinto Brovia used to say in his 60 harvests 2007 was a vintage without precedent. “It was a very relaxed harvest,” adds Cristina Brovia, “because it never rained. We were never forced to pick under the threat of poor weather.” According to Elena Brovia “Things were harder in the cellar. Sugars and alcohols were higher than normal.” 95/Drinking window: 2017-2032. The 2008 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia is quite closed today, which is a bit surprising given how expressive many other wines are in this vintage. Dried rose petals, mint and licorice open up over time, but only with great reluctance. There is a crystalline purity that is highly appealing, but the 2008 is going to need at least a few years to enter the early part of its drinking window. Stylistically, the 2005 resembles the 2005, but with perhaps a little more sweetness. A recent bottle of Brovia's 2008 Ca' Mia was also superb, further suggesting all that is needed here is time. 95/Drinking window: 2018-2038.

An attractive, mid-weight wine, the 2009 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia is all about grace. The style is quite weightless and perfumed, with lovely overall balance and silky tannins that make the wine approachable, even in its youth. Small red berries, mint and spices are woven into the subtle, understated finish. Overall the 2009 comes across as a wine to drink over the near and medium-term given its decidedly mid-weight structure. 91/Drinking window: 2015-2029. Brovia's 2010 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione is a classic in the making. An open, expressive Rocche bouquet, firm yet silky tannins and chiseled fruit are the signatures. Veins of brilliant acidity and insistent tannin give the 2010 much of its energy and overall tension. This mid-weight, super-polished Barolo will provide readers with exceptional drinking for many years to come. 96+/Drinking window: 2020-2040.

1982 Barolo Riserva Rocche	96
1985 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	91
1986 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	92
1987 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	94
1989 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	95
1990 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	91
1993 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	91
1996 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	95
1998 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	93
1999 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	95
2001 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	95
2004 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	96
2005 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	95+
2006 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	95+
2007 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	95
2008 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	95
2009 Barolo Rocche dei Brovia	91
2010 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione	96+

Note: Over the years, Brovia has used several different names for what is essentially the same wine. The 1982 was issued as a Riserva. Subsequent vintages were labeled "Rocche dei Brovia" until 2010, when new vineyard names came into effect.

-- Antonio Galloni

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