Going toward the old town on the SP3 (Via Tanaro here),
then entering the commune just south of the old town center:
The winery as seen from above (outlined in red). The smaller building
on the left (northwest) side of Via XX Settembre is used for offices,
storing bottled wine, and shipping. Across the street is the winery,
much of which has been rebuilt in the last few years.
Bruno Giacosa's father Mario and his grandfather Carlo were commerciante.
These were men who worked as grape selectors for the few large wineries that dominated
Barolo and Barbaresco in the first half of the 20th Century.
They decided which were the best grapes for the winery to buy.
Through this they had a great knowledge of the vineyards in both regions and where
the very best grapes were grown.
Bruno Giacosa was born in 1929 and began working in the family business in 1944.
By 1960, he decided to bottle his own wines.
The first wines bottled and sold by the Bruno Giacosa Winery were a Barolo and a
Barbaresco from the 1961 vintage. While not stated on the label, the Barolo was from
the Falletto vineyard and the Barbaresco was from the Santo Stefano vineyard.
Wine had been made by Bruno's grandfather Carlo and his father Mario as far back as the 1890's.
Most of this wine was sold to customers in demijohn as was common practice in the region
at the time.
Bottling at smaller wineries was not at all common until well after World War II.
For the first two decades, Bruno made wine only from grapes purchased from a small set
of vineyards. He became particularly famous for his Barbaresco from Santo Stefano in Neive
and his Barolos from Rionda and Falletto in Serralunga d'Alba.
1964 was the first year that Giacosa bottled a single vineyard wine with the vineyard name
on the label, a 1964 Santo Stefano Riserva.
In 1980, he recognized the growing trend toward estate bottling and bought the entire
Falletto vineyard in Barolo.
Then in 1996, he purchased plots in the Asili and Rabajá vineyards in Barbaresco.
Giacosa is also famous for his Arneis which is still made from grapes purchased from
two growers in Roero.
He and Mario Vietti were pioneers in replanting this local grape and bringing it
back from near extinction.
Over the years, the winery has produced Barbera from estate and non-estate vineyards,
as well as an excellent Nebbiolo d'Alba from the Valmaggiore vineyard in Vezza d'Alba
since as far back as 1971.
Starting in 1983, they have produced a white, and sometimes rosé, sparkling wine (Spumante).
Both are made from 100% Pinot Noir grown in the village of Casteggio, in the Oltrepo Pavese
zone, in the Province of Pavia, in the Lombardia Region of Italy.
Dante Scaglione is the winemaker at Giacosa.
Around 1990, Dante worked at an enology center owned by famed enologist Giuliano Noé (b. 1935).
There he performed various tests for Bruno who was very impressed with his
abilities and his understanding of winemaking.
In 1992, Bruno asked Dante to work for him full-time.
Dante was thrilled to accept.
There was a temporary lapse in this relationship when Dante resigned on March 7, 2008.
He was replaced by Giorgio Lavagna, son-in-law to the manager of Giacosa's Falletto estate,
who had worked as a winemaker at Batisiolo.
In early 2011, Dante Scaglione came back as winemaker.
The winery said there were some misunderstandings, but now all is well.
In January 2006, Bruno Giacosa suffered a stroke.
He was in the hospital until late October 2006.
He continued to improve and was eventually able to walk again with some help.
Unfortunately, during the 2011 harvest, he fell and broke his femur.
He has been in a wheelchair ever since.
At the end of our visit we had the opportunity to spend a few minutes with him.
Our host for our visit was Bruno's older daughter, Bruna Giacosa.
Bruna and I had met multiple times at wine dinners in New York City.
This was my first time meeting her at the winery and she was a very gracious host.
Bruna has been managing much of the business affairs of the winery for many years.
Winery Tour
We head across the street for a tour of the winery and a tasting.
All Giacosa wine is made in this winery.
The building at the top of the Falletto vineyard in Serralunga d'Alba
(seen at the top of the labels of Giacosa's estate-bottled Barolo)
is living quarters for workers.
Just next door to the Bruno Giacosa winery is Giacosa Fratelli,
but there is no connection between the two wineries.
Google Street View (2016).
The building on the left is an apartment building and is not part
of the winery, but
everything behind it is part of the winery all the way back to the next street.
Ezio and Bruna crossing the street to enter the winery:
The winery has been substantially renovated in a series of steps beginning around 2007.
The architect is Luigi Duretto in Costigliole d'Asti.
Most of it was complete at the time of my visit, but Bruna said there were still a few
more things to finish.
This is the primary winemaking building. All the reds are made here.
We will tour the inside later.
Temperature-controlled, stainless steel fermentation tanks at the back of the winery.
The main winery building from behind:
A second part of the winery behind the main winery building.
This building is used only for whites, specifically the Arneis and the Spumante.
It was built by Bruno around 1970 when he first started making Arneis.
The roof is new, a part of the recent renovations.
A crusher/destemmer for the white wines.
Workers solving a plumbing problem in a nice, shady spot:
Francesco Versio entering the tasting room behind the winery just ahead of us:
Tasting
Bruna prepares for our tasting, while Ezio looks on with anticipation:
All the bottles were only labeled with hand-written stickers like these:
These photos courtesy Dan Moritz.
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. A blockbuster Arneis. (89-92 points)
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 points)
2014 Bruno Giacosa Nebbiolo d'Alba Valmaggiore -
Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Nebbiolo d'Alba
[14,000 bottles from two growers in Valmaggiore.] Lovely perfume.
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 points)
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 balance, structure and tannins. Classic Asili. (93 points)
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. Glad I bought some.
May have to buy some more! [And I did.] (95-98 points)
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.
Very tight and hard to judge, but should be very good.
(93-94 points)
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 points)
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 called "fruitcake".
What a finish!!! Break open the piggy bank. This is a great wine.
(97-100 points)
While we were tasting, there was a group of young people tasting with Francesco Versio:
Francesco Versio has worked in the winery for several years.
He left a few months after our visit:
Looking back toward the winery from the tasting room entrance:
Inside the Winery
Entering the main winery building from the back side:
Fermentation tanks on the right:
Fermentation tanks on the left:
Stairs and a catwalk that go over the fermentation tanks on the right:
Ezio checking out a newer Stockinger botte of 2014 Asili Riserva.
An older 110 hectoliter Gamba botte of 2015 Rocche Riserva.
Lots of big old Gamba botti:
The new part of the winery with (mostly) Stockinger botti:
Botti with 2013 Rocche Riserva, 2014 Rocche Riserva, and 2015 Asili Riserva:
All the botti I looked at refer to the wine inside as "riserva".
This is a formality in case they want to make it a riserva,
but a final decision on that is usually made around the time of bottling.
For example, the 2013 Rocche was bottled a week after my visit.
It is not a riserva. It has a white label.
In fact, they are not thrilled with 2013 in general and
there will be no Falletto in 2013, only Le Rocche del Falletto,
which is now labeled as "Falletto Vigna Le Rocche" because of the new labelling laws.
Heading back across the street to meet with Bruno Giacosa:
Visit with Bruno
Bruno Giacosa is my favorite winemaker in all the world.
I have twice as many bottles of Bruno Giacosa wines as of any other producer.
At my request, Bruna set up our visit when it was most likely that we
would be able to meet with him.
Bruno is in a wheelchair and his movements are limited by his stroke in 2006
and a fall in 2011,
but his handshake was strong and his eyes were keenly observant.
His face is still expressive.
I told him that I thought he was the greatest winemaker in the world and
that his wines had given me more pleasure than any other.
When he heard this, there was a clear sense of pleasure in his eyes.
He didn’t say much, but Bruna said that was not because of his stroke.
She said he was always like that.
The adjective most commonly used in profiles of Bruno Giacosa is "taciturn".
Even when she was a girl, Bruna can remember her mother Cristina complaining
that Bruno spoke so rarely.
Her mother was very outgoing just like Bruna.
She passed away on Christmas in 2014.
Understandably, Christmas has never been the same for them.
I asked Bruno if I could take some photos with him. He seemed pleased to do so.
But he did seem to wonder exactly who this crazy American is:
Photos taken by Ezio Biglieri.
I asked Bruno what was his favorite of the wines that he made.
He said it was the 1964 Barbaresco Riserva (made entirely
from the Santo Stefano vineyard).
For my friend Rico, I asked whether he liked the 2000 vintage or the 2001 vintage more.
He said that he liked 2000 and 2001 equally, but
that they are very different from each other.
We did not want to overstay our welcome, but Bruno did seem sad to see us go.
Or perhaps that is just what I was feeling at this moment.
As we were leaving, Ezio asked about the Rose Spumante, which he likes very much.
Bruna said 2013 was the last vintage they will ever make.
There was just not enough demand for it, and it is hard to make.
As we left, she gave Ezio a 6-pack (disgorged March 2015).
We drive past the old town of Neive on our way back to Barbaresco:
Approaching Barbaresco:
Next
Next, I made a quick visit to the Produttori del Barbaresco.