TN: Tasting with Bruna Giacosa at the Winery

WINE TALK
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TASTING WITH BRUNA GIACOSA AT THE WINERY - 52 Via XX Settembre, Neive, Piedmont, Italy (7/6/2016)

My friend and mentor Ezio and I visited the winery and tasted with Bruna Giacosa.

Lots of photos and more on my website:

http://www.finewinegeek.com/tn/2016-07_Piedmont/2016-07-06d_Giacosa/

Non-Estate Wines

  • 2015 Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Roero
    [130,000 bottles of this were made, all from grapes purchased from 40 growers. All sold out already at the winery.] Very young. Full in the mouth with unresolved sweet and sour. Almost too much wine. Needs time. 89-92 (90 pts.)
  • 2015 Bruno Giacosa Dolcetto d’Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Dolcetto d’Alba
    [Made from purchased grapes grown in Neive and Alba.] Rich, thick, appealing with that nice spicy bite on the finish. Tasty. (89 pts.)
  • 2014 Bruno Giacosa Nebbiolo d’Alba Valmaggiore - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Nebbiolo d’Alba
    [14,000 bottles from two growers in Valmaggiore.] Lovely purfume. Complex in the mouth. A delicious wine. Bruna was shocked when I told her I still have bottles of the 2004 and 2006 of this in my cellar. (92 pts.)

Barbarescos from Asili

  • 2012 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
    [Contains a little of the juice from the plot in Asili that used to be called Rabajà.] Heavenly nose of red fruit, earth, and roses. Really ripe black fruit. Excellent structure and tannins. Classic Asili. (93 pts.)
  • 2011 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Asili - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
    [Contains none of the juice from the plot in Asili that used to be called Rabajà. All of that was sold off in bulk.] Heavenly perfume of flowers, tar, red fruit, and spice. Lots of licorice and fruit in the mouth. Very complex and rich. Comparable to the 2007, if not the 2004. 95-98 (96 pts.)

Barolos from Falletto

  • 2012 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [Bottled end of March.] Lovely beef and strawberry nose. Tight and restrained on the attack. Long, tannic finish. Has impressive structure for a 2012. Needs time. 93-94 (93 pts.)
  • 2011 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    Gorgeous nose of red fruit, tar, and spice. Complex, rich fruit up front with lots of tannin on the finish. Surprisingly approachable now, but could use at least 10 years to really show its stuff. 94-96 (95 pts.)
  • 2011 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    [To be released in 2017. Bruna says that Ezio and I are the first people outside the winery to taste this wine. Quite a privilege and a treat.] Nose from heaven. OMFG! Just stunning perfume. A mind-blowing powerhouse of a wine. I can’t believe how good this wine is. Could be the best wine made here since 2004. An amazing, potentially perfect Barolo. So many complex layers of fruit and tar and licorice and spice. That special Giacosa flavor that Tom M calls “fruitcake”. What a finish!!! 97-100 (98 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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Thanks for posting these notes Ken - much appreciated. Need to test one of these Asili 11 soon :slight_smile:

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Did you talk about the 2010 vintage?

Or is that a forbidden topic?

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I did not ask.

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Beautiful write-up and photos, Ken! Thanks for taking the time to put all of it together.

Thanks,
Ed

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Ken, thank you for the notes, as well as the report of the visit on your website. Outstanding!

A question: you note in your website report that Bruno told you his favorite wine of all he has made is the 1964 Barbaresco Riserva, which you point out was made entirely from Santo Stefano fruit. That’s super interesting but also confusing because your website depicts two different 1964 Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva, one being the Santa Stefano Riserva and the other without any vineyard designation. Does that mean both of the 1964 Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva were made entirely from Santo Stefano fruit and only one label reflects the yineyard? Or does it mean something else? And which of the two do you think Bruno was indicating as his favorite?

And, of course, thanks again for the great info!

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That’s an interesting question. In hindsight, I think he was referring to the wine labeled as the SSR. I also suspect that the Riserva that isn’t labeled with a vineyard is actually a blend of Santo Stefano and Gallina. I will ask and see if Bruno remembers.

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Thanks for the report Ken.

Do you think the style and quality is back to before the wine maker shuffle?

The 2011 Riserva sounds great but is it unusual to be that forward and open at this stage?

Thanks and I can’t tell you how many times I refer to your website when buying older vintages.

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Great post. The pics add to it in terms of lifting the veil and putting context to one of my favorite producers ever. Thank you.

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Well done, thank you.

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Hi Ken,
I’m holding some magnums of the 2001 Giacosa Falletto Riserva; how do you place that among successful vintages of that wine? I’ve just seen a recent post extolling the virtues of many other 01 Giacosas, but not this one.
Nigel

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If it is a 2001 Giacosa Barolo Riserva, it is from Rocche del Falletto. I’ve had it 3 times since 2013 and rated it 100 points each time. The last time from a magnum. The second time was single blind. I think this link should work:

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Nice pix and captions, Ken.

stuart

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NJBruce wrote:
Hi Ken,
I’m holding some magnums of the 2001 Giacosa Falletto Riserva; how do you place that among successful vintages of that wine? I’ve just seen a recent post extolling the virtues of many other 01 Giacosas, but not this one.
Nigel


If it is a 2001 Giacosa Barolo Riserva, it is from Rocche del Falletto. I’ve had it 3 times since 2013 and rated it 100 points each time. The last time from a magnum. The second time was single blind. I think this link should work:

Wines - CellarTracker> ? … 48d1caab85

I tasted this at the winery in 07 when it was a baby. Here is part of my tasting note “Potentially the best Barolo I’ve tried to date.”

Ken - thank you for the great notes and pics. It’s time to pull a Giacosa bottle from the cellar. [cheers.gif]

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Great notes, thanks for posting!

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Thanks for all the kind comments.

BTW I believe when the 2011 Rocche Riserva is released, it will be labeled “Falletto Vigna Le Rocche” instead of “Le Rocche del Falletto” due to the new laws. This is because “Falletto” is the official vineyard name (called a “Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive” (MGA) in the law), while “Le Rocche” is an officially recognized vineyard within that MGA (called a “Vriv” in the law).

Here are photos of the 2013 (non-riserva) labeled this way:

http://www.finewinegeek.com/giacosa/barolo/Rocche2013.html

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Ken, have you tasted the 2011 SS?

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I thought I had, but I can’t seem to find a note on it. [scratch.gif]

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I have this weird picture in my mind of Ken running up to Bruno Giacosa screaming with delight as if my 14 yr old daughter were meeting Justin Beiber! You look pretty darn happy in those pictures.

Great visit and report. It must have been unbelievable to be there.

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Ken,

An absolutely life-enriching post.