1990 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione Brovia

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 family purchased their holdings in the Rocche vineyard in 1968. Their 1989 and 1990 Barolos from that site are drinking beautifully today although they need to be enjoyed over the coming years as they are not immortal. Stylistically, the wines speak quite eloquently to the nature of both vintages, but they are decidedly more angular and firm than the Barolos the estate is making today. At the time, Brovia aged their Barolos in Slavonian oak casks rather than the French oak casks employed today. History buffs will want to note that Brovia's first vintages for their Barolo Garblèt Sue', Barolo Villero and Barolo Ca' Mia are 1985, 1991 and 1995 respectively. Readers will have a hard time finding a kinder family in Piedmont than the Brovias, so it is especially nice to see the significant strides in quality the estate has made in recent years.