Giacosa/Bruno Barolo Rocche del Falletto Riserva 2004

100 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2004 Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto is simply as profound as wine can be. Period. Strikingly layered, perfumed and sensual to the core, the 2004 has it all. Next to the straight Falletto, the Rocche is more refined but also quite a bit more backward as well. Mint, rose petal and melted road tar grace the exquisite finish. The level of intensity here is simply mind-blowing. At ten years of age, the 2004 Rocche is a youngster, but it is clearly a wine of divine inspiration. For readers who look at the numbers, the score is the only possible score. Drink: 2016-2044. (May 2015)"

99+ points Antonio Galloni (Wine Advocate): "The 2004 Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto is off the charts. Sweet roses, menthol, tar, licorice and minerals come together in a sensual, elegant style that recalls Giacosa’s legendary 1989 Riserva Collina Rionda, a wine many observers (this one included) place at the top of the hierarchy of all-time legendary Barolos. Ripe, sensual, and utterly spellbinding, the 2004 Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto offers superb elegance and pedigree. At this stage the wine remains surprisingly accessible. Readers will want to taste the 2004 Rocche as soon as possible as it will almost certainly head for a long period of dormancy in the near future. This magical Barolo will likely merit a perfect score in the future. The 2004 Rocche is the last wine Giacosa and former longtime oenologist Dante Scaglione produced together from start to finish and it is an appropriate bookend to a wonderful partnership that yielded so many profound wines. Anticipated maturity: 2024-2044. (Oct 2009)"

98 points Stephen Tanzer (International Wine Cellar): "[$450 list] Full, deep red. Incredible nose combines red fruits, blood orange, minerals, spices and smoked meat. Sappy, silky and extremely intense yet somehow weightless, with a pristine quality to its fruit and mineral flavors. This saturates every millimeter of the palate with flavor, with the extraordinary rising finish going on for two minutes or more. Again, when I free-associated, the first word that came to my mind was Musigny. There's so much going on in this extremely primary and mineral-driven wine that one is hardly aware of the tannins. I think this will make a compelling drink in just two or three years but will evolve positively for a couple of decades. Giacosa considers this to be his best Barolo of the last ten years. (Nov/Dec 2009)"

96 points Wine Spectator: "This requires aeration to coax out its fragrant floral, cherry and raspberry fruit aromas. Though supple, focused and elegant, it’s very firmly structured, with an underlying mineral streak and a long aftertaste of tobacco. Will be a beauty in about five years. Best from 2013 through 2032. 101 cases imported. (2/16/11)"

Three Glasses 'Plus', Gambero Rosso: "Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga '04 is probably the finest Barolo of recent years, on a par with Barbaresco Asili '96 and Barolo Collina Rionda '89. It won Three Glasses for its complex, stylish tobacco, dried flowers and raspberries, and a lengthy palate with good development and close-knit tannins. (2011)"