Barolos Made by Bruno Giacosa

Notes

• According to the website of the Ordine dei Cavalieri del Tartufo e dei Vini di Alba the following Bruno Giacosa Barolos have been bottled under their label (as well as his own):
  • 1978 Villero di Castiglione Falletto
  • 1978 Le Rocche di Castiglione Falletto
  • 1982 Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba
• A Barolo Arione di Serralunga d'Alba was produced by Giacosa in 1971, 1976, and 1978. The grapes were bought from Gigi Rosso who owns the entire vineyard.
• A Barolo Bussia di Monforte Riserva Speciale (red label) was made in 1974, 1975, 1978, and 1979.
• A Barolo Ginestra di Monforte was produced by Giacosa in 1974.
• A Barolo Pugnane di Castiglione Falletto was produced in 1978.
• Le Rocche di Castiglione Falletto and Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba are two different vineyards.
  • Le Rocche di Castiglione Falletto was made in the 1970's and early 1980's from purchased grapes.
  • Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba is a subplot of the estate-owned Falletto vineyard in Serralunga.
  • The grapes from Le Rocche del Falletto were used to make the Falletto Riservas up to and including
    the 1996, but have been bottled separately since 1997 as Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba.
• 1993 was the last vintage for Barolo Rionda.
  • This wine came from a plot in Rionda owned by Aldo Canale. Some sources say that Canale did not sell Giacosa grapes, but rather fermented juice.
  • Since 1993, Canale has sold fermented juice from the Rionda vineyard to Roagna, who now makes a "Vigna Rionda".
  • Since 1998, Aldo's son Tommaso Canale has farmed this plot, but Tommaso died prematurely in 2010. His parcel has been divided among 3 heirs.
  • According to Antonio Galloni, A little more than 50% of the holdings now belong to Davide Rosso of Az. Agr. Giovanni Rosso, while Az. Agr. Guido Porro and Sergio Germano (of Ettore Germano) now have about 0.41 hectares each. As David Berry Green explains here, Davide Rosso is the son of Ester Rosso (nee Canale) who is the daughter of Aldo Canale's brother Amelio, so part of this vineyard is back in the family. Because of this, 2006 will be the last vintage of Roagna Barolo Rionda.
  • Guido Porro and Sergio Germano have chosen to replant their sections. Here is a photo of an old vine from Porro's parcel after it was ripped up.
  • An interesting story about the wine from Canale's Rionda plot as told to group of us over dinner by Mauro Mascarello of the G. Mascarello winery:
    
    In 1979 Mauro's father, Giuseppe, heard that grapes from the Rionda vineyard might be available. Someone (a broker?) took Giuseppe and Mauro to visit Canale to see about buying his Rionda grapes. When they arrived the person who brought them there said "Wait, Bruno Giacosa is in there. We have to wait for him to leave." It seems that Canale had a policy that whoever had bought the grapes the previous year got first crack at this year's grapes.
    Giacosa came out fuming and someone said "He must have passed on the grapes. He looks mad."
    Giuseppe said "Well, if they are too expensive for Giacosa, they are certainly too expensive for us."
    The guy who brought them there said they should check. Canale said they were terrific grapes and worth the higher price that year. So they bought them. Mauro made the wine and was shocked that it was almost clear.
    When they got a call the next year asking if they wanted the grapes again, they said no because the wine was still clear. Then a few months later, in spring of 1981, the color changed and the wine was great.
    But by then Giacosa was back with Canale taking all the grapes, and Mauro never got them again.
    Here is the same story as recounted by Greg dal Piaz on Snooth, along with a tasting note.
• 1996 was the last vintage for Barolo Villero di Castiglione Falletto. The grapes had been bought from Fratelli Sordo. Giacomo Fenocchio married Sordo's daughter and the wine is made under his name since 1997.
• 2004 was the first vintage for Barolo Vigna Croera (La Morra). At this point, it looks like 2004 will be the only vintage of Croera. According to Antonio Galloni, "This plot is in the highest part of La Morra, in a district called Serradenari. It is not a formally designated vineyard in the documentation. This area is best known for Dolcetto, in fact Giacosa told me that he doesn't expect he will be able to make a Barolo from this vineyard in every vintage because the micro-climate is quite variable. The producer from whom Giacosa bought the land has a copyright on the term `Serradenari' so the Giacosa wine is labeled Croera." The Fine Wine Geek believes that the producer Giacosa bought this vineyard from is Giulia e Giovanni Negri.

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All original content © Ken Vastola