Bruno Giacosa
Bruno Giacosa is an internationally respected winemaker with some of the most impressive Barolo and Barbaresco single-vineyard wines. He is the 3rd generation of this family business from their cellars in Nieve in the Langhe. He also sources grapes from local growers that whom the family has long-established relations. The wines have a fantastic bouquet and a full-bodied palate but also real elegance for the region.
Often credited as one of the producers to put Barbaresco on the map, Bruno Giacosa joined the family’s winemaking business at the age of 15, buying what he felt were the best grapes from his network of growers. He acquired the Falleto vineyard in Barolo (relatively) recently in 1982, and selected plots in Barbaresco in 1996. In 1964, Giacosa began single-vineyard bottlings of Barolo and Barbaresco with the cru names indicated on the labels with the very first being from the San Stefano vineyard – reportedly Giacosa’s single favourite wine of his entire career. Giacosa's daughter Bruna has been in charge since 2006.
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Wine Advocate (93)
This is a difficult wine to find in the marketplace and it is rarely presented for official review. In fact, the last time it was produced was way back in 2008. The 2014 Barbaresco sees fruit sourced from the lower part of the Asili cru with some smaller amounts from Rabajà. This is a very opulent and rich expression with forward determination and power. This is an unusual vintage with a cool summer and a very warm pre-harvest period. It produced interesting wines specifically in Barbaresco and almost nowhere else in Northern Italy. The quality of fruit is ripe and a touch sweet. Its texture is succulent and soft. The wine feels like it could be ready to drink now, but it also has the pedigree and beautiful inner structure for long cellar aging.Inc. TAX€715.19 -
Inc. TAX€181.00 -
Inc. TAX€877.19 -
(6x75cl) 1993Vinous (89)
The 1993 Barbaresco Santo Stefano is a perfect wine to start the evening, as it introduces a number of themes without being so serious or important as to be overpowering. Sweet tobacco, leather and a host of fully mature, tertiary notes give the wine its distinct personality. There is plenty of depth to the fruit, but the aromatics are fully tertiary. For that reason, any remaining bottles are best finished off sooner rather than later.Inc. TAX€2,084.63 -
(6x75cl) 2001Vinous (94+)
I am shocked (pleasantly, I must say), by how closed the 2001 Barbaresco Santo Stefano is. Powerful, tightly wound and totally closed down, the 2001 exudes class. Orange rind, tobacco and smoke add striking aromatic complexity to the intense dark fruit. Today, the tannins are surprisingly intense and raw, so readers will have to be patient. The 2001 is superb, but the wine’s full personality will not be on display for at least another few years. There is a good bit of upside here.Inc. TAX€2,018.63 -
(6x75cl) 2004Vinous (96)
The 2004 Barbaresco Santo Stefano shows the pedigree of this great Piedmont vintage. An ample, complex wine, the 2004 fills out in all directions with myriad of aromatics and layers of flavor. Dark red stone fruit, exotic spice, leather and licorice all develop in the glass. The wine’s pure textural finesse and creaminess show what makes the finest 2004s so appealing.Inc. TAX€4,970.63 -
(6x75cl) 2007Vinous (95)
Good full red. Aromas of currant, camphor, mocha and cedar lifted by an exotic floral perfume. Silky-sweet, precise and intense, with superb calcaire lift to the red fruit and spice flavors. Wonderfully juicy and imploded wine, finishing with serious but very fine-grained tannins and terrific length.Inc. TAX€1,605.59 -
(6x75cl) 2004Wine Advocate (98)
The 2004 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is even more compelling than the Rabaja. It floats on the palate with an ethereal core of sweet fruit that calls to mind a profound Musigny, but with the unmistakable structure of Nebbiolo. The perfumed purity of the fruit carries all the way through to the deeply satisfying, resonating finish. Made in a soft, seductive style, this remarkable wine is decidedly more approachable and easy to appreciate today than the Rabaja. Giacosa fans will have a great time discussing the merits of the Rabaja and the Asili in 2004, but to me they are virtually equally moving; Asili for its feminine gracefulness and Rabaja for its size and power. The Asili should prove more accessible at an earlier age. Bruno Giacosa says his 2004 Asili Riserva will turn out to be just like his 2000 Asili Riserva, the wine he still thinks is the best he's ever made. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025.Inc. TAX€5,326.54 -
(3x150cl) 2005Vinous (95)
The 2005 Barbaresco Asili is a jewel of a wine. I suppose the 2005 doesn't have the sweetness not finesse of the very best vintages, but it comes very, very close. The ineffable Asili perfume comes through beautifully in a sensual, complete Barbaresco that will thrill Giacosa fans. Rose petal, mint, plum and cinnamon are some of the many nuances that inform the silky, inviting finish.Inc. TAX€2,510.63 -
(6x75cl) 2007Vinous (94)
Things kicked up several notches with a flight of Barbareschis from the famed Asili vineyard. Asili is in the village of Barbaresco, where the wines are generally more feminine than in Neive. The best wines from this site have great aromatics and fine, silky tannins. The 2007 Barbaresco Asili was once again explosive. I expect the wine will settle down nicely with further bottle age, but at this stage lots of baby fat came through.Inc. TAX€1,983.59 -
Vinous (93)
(white label): Captivating flower perfume lifts aromas of raspberry, menthol and mint. Seamless in texture but a bit youthfully imploded, offering terrific red fruit intensity without weight. Quite spicy for Asili. Nicely balanced, silky, floral Barbaresco, finishing with continuing spice notes as well as serious, building tannins for Asili.Inc. TAX€1,178.63 -
Vinous (94)
The 2012 Barbaresco Asili is the finest wine I have tasted from Bruno Giacosa since the 2007 vintage. A bright, beautifully translucent red, the 2012 Asili captures the essence of this great site in its perfumed aromatics, silky fruit and understated depth. Hints of orange zest, rose petal, cinnamon and pine are laced into the resonant, alluring finish. Already quite open and expressive, the 2012 should drink well for the next decade or so. Giacosa fans will find much to admire in the sexy, open-knit 2012 Asili. This is a tremendous showing, and one of the very best 2012s readers will come across.Inc. TAX€952.79 -
(3x150cl) 2015James Suckling (95)
Very perfumed and pretty with cherry, dried fruit and orange peel. Hints of sandalwood, too. Full body, layered and refined. Smoke, tar and spice aftertaste to the fruit. Drink in 2019.Inc. TAX€855.59 -
James Suckling (95)
Very perfumed and pretty with cherry, dried fruit and orange peel. Hints of sandalwood, too. Full body, layered and refined. Smoke, tar and spice aftertaste to the fruit. Drink in 2019.Inc. TAX€836.39 -
(1x150cl) 2017James Suckling (97)
There’s impeccable transparency and freshness to this Barbaresco on the nose, which introduces bright rose petals, lifted orange peel, crushed stones and sour cherries. The stoney tannins trace intricate detail on the medium-to full-bodied palate, highlighting the racy acidity, brambly undertones and a beautiful array of wild berries. Yes, there’s power and depth of flavor, but this is all about grace and beauty. Drink from 2024.Inc. TAX€460.39 -
James Suckling (97)
There’s impeccable transparency and freshness to this Barbaresco on the nose, which introduces bright rose petals, lifted orange peel, crushed stones and sour cherries. The stoney tannins trace intricate detail on the medium-to full-bodied palate, highlighting the racy acidity, brambly undertones and a beautiful array of wild berries. Yes, there’s power and depth of flavor, but this is all about grace and beauty. Drink from 2024.Inc. TAX€627.59 -
James Suckling (97)
There’s impeccable transparency and freshness to this Barbaresco on the nose, which introduces bright rose petals, lifted orange peel, crushed stones and sour cherries. The stoney tannins trace intricate detail on the medium-to full-bodied palate, highlighting the racy acidity, brambly undertones and a beautiful array of wild berries. Yes, there’s power and depth of flavor, but this is all about grace and beauty. Drink from 2024.Inc. TAX€608.39 -
Inc. TAX€838.79 -
Jeb Dunnuck (96)
The team will not produce a 2022 Riserva release, and the 2022 Barbaresco Asili will be only release from Asili. From this cru with sandier soils, it was aged for 20 months in large barrels. In the glass, it boasts a jewel-toned ruby color and is fresh and ripe with aromas of pure raspberries, wild strawberries, rocky earth, and pressed roses. The palate is fruity and appealing, with refreshing lift, well-defined tannins, even acidity, and a kiss of stone fruit and mouthwatering salinity on the finish. It has just a hint of warmth, but it’s very well-balanced and joyful, making it a pretty vintage of this wine. Drink 2026-2050.Inc. TAX€1,696.54 -
(1x75cl) 1996Wine Advocate (98)
The utterly perfect, dense ruby/purple-colored 1996 Barbaresco Asili (Red Label Riserva) is a heroic offering brilliantly displaying both power and elegance. The bouquet develops incrementally, offering up aromas of black raspberries, cherries, cigar box, licorice, and leather. The wine impresses with its nuances as well as its extraordinarily rich, dense mid-palate, and a finish that lasts nearly a minute. There is huge tannin, but equally massive concentration, extract, and overall harmony. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025.Inc. TAX€1,195.42 -
(3x150cl) 2000James Suckling (98)
The nose alone on this is reason enough to buy this. Rich and decadent with dried meats, dried mushrooms, ripe fruits, all tied together by flowers and a light cigar box character. The palate isn't bad either, loads of dried fruits, full-bodied and rich. Total decadence with a wild character. Makes me smile.Inc. TAX€4,634.84 -
(6x75cl) 2000James Suckling (98)
The nose alone on this is reason enough to buy this. Rich and decadent with dried meats, dried mushrooms, ripe fruits, all tied together by flowers and a light cigar box character. The palate isn't bad either, loads of dried fruits, full-bodied and rich. Total decadence with a wild character. Makes me smile.Inc. TAX€3,728.63 -
(1x300cl) 2004Vinous - Antonio Galloni (99)
The 2004 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is just as magical as it has always been. Perfumed, light on its feet and supremely elegant, the 2004 dazzles from start to finish. Brisk acids and beams of supporting tannin suggest it will drink well for many years to come. All of the pure sensuality of Asili is on display. Bruno Giacosa achieved an unreal level of finesse in his wines that remains unmatched.Inc. TAX€6,638.93 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (99)
The 2004 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is just as magical as it has always been. Perfumed, light on its feet and supremely elegant, the 2004 dazzles from start to finish. Brisk acids and beams of supporting tannin suggest it will drink well for many years to come. All of the pure sensuality of Asili is on display. Bruno Giacosa achieved an unreal level of finesse in his wines that remains unmatched.Inc. TAX€4,760.63 -
(6x75cl) 2007Vinous (98)
Giacosa’s 2007 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is flamboyant, exotically ripe and stunning in its absolute beauty. Bright red cherry fruit, rose petal, violet and mint abound in a spellbinding, utterly thrilling Barbaresco. I have always adored the 2007. Once again, it is pure magic.Inc. TAX€3,669.59 -
James Suckling (99)
This is an incredible wine that reminds me of the perfect 2000 Barolo Rocche de Falletto. Flowers, spices, leather and animals. Decadent. Dried mushrooms. Then changes to Japanese ginger and lemon peel. Full-bodied but refined and so long. It has layers of fruit and power. So refined. Ripe and intense. Perfect balance and harmony. It will be released in 2016.Inc. TAX€2,979.59 -
James Suckling (99)
Incredible aromas of violets, roses and blue fruits. So perfumed. Never smelled a wine like this before. Full body, perfectly integrated tannins and bright, vivid acidity. Extremely long and endless. A seamless and great one. An evocative wine that makes you think. Needs three to five years of bottle age on release. Unique red. Available in 2019.Inc. TAX€1,602.54 -
James Suckling (99)
Incredible aromas of violets, roses and blue fruits. So perfumed. Never smelled a wine like this before. Full body, perfectly integrated tannins and bright, vivid acidity. Extremely long and endless. A seamless and great one. An evocative wine that makes you think. Needs three to five years of bottle age on release. Unique red. Available in 2019.Inc. TAX€499.00 -
James Suckling (99)
Incredible aromas of violets, roses and blue fruits. So perfumed. Never smelled a wine like this before. Full body, perfectly integrated tannins and bright, vivid acidity. Extremely long and endless. A seamless and great one. An evocative wine that makes you think. Needs three to five years of bottle age on release. Unique red. Available in 2019.Inc. TAX€1,989.59 -
James Suckling (99)
Incredible aromas of violets, roses and blue fruits. So perfumed. Never smelled a wine like this before. Full body, perfectly integrated tannins and bright, vivid acidity. Extremely long and endless. A seamless and great one. An evocative wine that makes you think. Needs three to five years of bottle age on release. Unique red. Available in 2019.Inc. TAX€2,097.59
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Wine Advocate (93)
This is a difficult wine to find in the marketplace and it is rarely presented for official review. In fact, the last time it was produced was way back in 2008. The 2014 Barbaresco sees fruit sourced from the lower part of the Asili cru with some smaller amounts from Rabajà. This is a very opulent and rich expression with forward determination and power. This is an unusual vintage with a cool summer and a very warm pre-harvest period. It produced interesting wines specifically in Barbaresco and almost nowhere else in Northern Italy. The quality of fruit is ripe and a touch sweet. Its texture is succulent and soft. The wine feels like it could be ready to drink now, but it also has the pedigree and beautiful inner structure for long cellar aging.In Bond€573.00 -
In Bond€147.00 -
In Bond€708.00 -
(6x75cl) 1993Vinous (89)
The 1993 Barbaresco Santo Stefano is a perfect wine to start the evening, as it introduces a number of themes without being so serious or important as to be overpowering. Sweet tobacco, leather and a host of fully mature, tertiary notes give the wine its distinct personality. There is plenty of depth to the fruit, but the aromatics are fully tertiary. For that reason, any remaining bottles are best finished off sooner rather than later.In Bond€1,715.00 -
(6x75cl) 2001Vinous (94+)
I am shocked (pleasantly, I must say), by how closed the 2001 Barbaresco Santo Stefano is. Powerful, tightly wound and totally closed down, the 2001 exudes class. Orange rind, tobacco and smoke add striking aromatic complexity to the intense dark fruit. Today, the tannins are surprisingly intense and raw, so readers will have to be patient. The 2001 is superb, but the wine’s full personality will not be on display for at least another few years. There is a good bit of upside here.In Bond€1,660.00 -
(6x75cl) 2004Vinous (96)
The 2004 Barbaresco Santo Stefano shows the pedigree of this great Piedmont vintage. An ample, complex wine, the 2004 fills out in all directions with myriad of aromatics and layers of flavor. Dark red stone fruit, exotic spice, leather and licorice all develop in the glass. The wine’s pure textural finesse and creaminess show what makes the finest 2004s so appealing.In Bond€4,120.00 -
(6x75cl) 2007Vinous (95)
Good full red. Aromas of currant, camphor, mocha and cedar lifted by an exotic floral perfume. Silky-sweet, precise and intense, with superb calcaire lift to the red fruit and spice flavors. Wonderfully juicy and imploded wine, finishing with serious but very fine-grained tannins and terrific length.In Bond€1,315.00 -
(6x75cl) 2004Wine Advocate (98)
The 2004 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is even more compelling than the Rabaja. It floats on the palate with an ethereal core of sweet fruit that calls to mind a profound Musigny, but with the unmistakable structure of Nebbiolo. The perfumed purity of the fruit carries all the way through to the deeply satisfying, resonating finish. Made in a soft, seductive style, this remarkable wine is decidedly more approachable and easy to appreciate today than the Rabaja. Giacosa fans will have a great time discussing the merits of the Rabaja and the Asili in 2004, but to me they are virtually equally moving; Asili for its feminine gracefulness and Rabaja for its size and power. The Asili should prove more accessible at an earlier age. Bruno Giacosa says his 2004 Asili Riserva will turn out to be just like his 2000 Asili Riserva, the wine he still thinks is the best he's ever made. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025.In Bond€4,415.00 -
(3x150cl) 2005Vinous (95)
The 2005 Barbaresco Asili is a jewel of a wine. I suppose the 2005 doesn't have the sweetness not finesse of the very best vintages, but it comes very, very close. The ineffable Asili perfume comes through beautifully in a sensual, complete Barbaresco that will thrill Giacosa fans. Rose petal, mint, plum and cinnamon are some of the many nuances that inform the silky, inviting finish.In Bond€2,070.00 -
(6x75cl) 2007Vinous (94)
Things kicked up several notches with a flight of Barbareschis from the famed Asili vineyard. Asili is in the village of Barbaresco, where the wines are generally more feminine than in Neive. The best wines from this site have great aromatics and fine, silky tannins. The 2007 Barbaresco Asili was once again explosive. I expect the wine will settle down nicely with further bottle age, but at this stage lots of baby fat came through.In Bond€1,630.00 -
Vinous (93)
(white label): Captivating flower perfume lifts aromas of raspberry, menthol and mint. Seamless in texture but a bit youthfully imploded, offering terrific red fruit intensity without weight. Quite spicy for Asili. Nicely balanced, silky, floral Barbaresco, finishing with continuing spice notes as well as serious, building tannins for Asili.In Bond€960.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2012 Barbaresco Asili is the finest wine I have tasted from Bruno Giacosa since the 2007 vintage. A bright, beautifully translucent red, the 2012 Asili captures the essence of this great site in its perfumed aromatics, silky fruit and understated depth. Hints of orange zest, rose petal, cinnamon and pine are laced into the resonant, alluring finish. Already quite open and expressive, the 2012 should drink well for the next decade or so. Giacosa fans will find much to admire in the sexy, open-knit 2012 Asili. This is a tremendous showing, and one of the very best 2012s readers will come across.In Bond€771.00 -
(3x150cl) 2015James Suckling (95)
Very perfumed and pretty with cherry, dried fruit and orange peel. Hints of sandalwood, too. Full body, layered and refined. Smoke, tar and spice aftertaste to the fruit. Drink in 2019.In Bond€690.00 -
James Suckling (95)
Very perfumed and pretty with cherry, dried fruit and orange peel. Hints of sandalwood, too. Full body, layered and refined. Smoke, tar and spice aftertaste to the fruit. Drink in 2019.In Bond€674.00 -
(1x150cl) 2017James Suckling (97)
There’s impeccable transparency and freshness to this Barbaresco on the nose, which introduces bright rose petals, lifted orange peel, crushed stones and sour cherries. The stoney tannins trace intricate detail on the medium-to full-bodied palate, highlighting the racy acidity, brambly undertones and a beautiful array of wild berries. Yes, there’s power and depth of flavor, but this is all about grace and beauty. Drink from 2024.In Bond€376.00 -
James Suckling (97)
There’s impeccable transparency and freshness to this Barbaresco on the nose, which introduces bright rose petals, lifted orange peel, crushed stones and sour cherries. The stoney tannins trace intricate detail on the medium-to full-bodied palate, highlighting the racy acidity, brambly undertones and a beautiful array of wild berries. Yes, there’s power and depth of flavor, but this is all about grace and beauty. Drink from 2024.In Bond€500.00 -
James Suckling (97)
There’s impeccable transparency and freshness to this Barbaresco on the nose, which introduces bright rose petals, lifted orange peel, crushed stones and sour cherries. The stoney tannins trace intricate detail on the medium-to full-bodied palate, highlighting the racy acidity, brambly undertones and a beautiful array of wild berries. Yes, there’s power and depth of flavor, but this is all about grace and beauty. Drink from 2024.In Bond€484.00 -
In Bond€676.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (96)
The team will not produce a 2022 Riserva release, and the 2022 Barbaresco Asili will be only release from Asili. From this cru with sandier soils, it was aged for 20 months in large barrels. In the glass, it boasts a jewel-toned ruby color and is fresh and ripe with aromas of pure raspberries, wild strawberries, rocky earth, and pressed roses. The palate is fruity and appealing, with refreshing lift, well-defined tannins, even acidity, and a kiss of stone fruit and mouthwatering salinity on the finish. It has just a hint of warmth, but it’s very well-balanced and joyful, making it a pretty vintage of this wine. Drink 2026-2050.In Bond€1,390.00 -
(1x75cl) 1996Wine Advocate (98)
The utterly perfect, dense ruby/purple-colored 1996 Barbaresco Asili (Red Label Riserva) is a heroic offering brilliantly displaying both power and elegance. The bouquet develops incrementally, offering up aromas of black raspberries, cherries, cigar box, licorice, and leather. The wine impresses with its nuances as well as its extraordinarily rich, dense mid-palate, and a finish that lasts nearly a minute. There is huge tannin, but equally massive concentration, extract, and overall harmony. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025.In Bond€993.00 -
(3x150cl) 2000James Suckling (98)
The nose alone on this is reason enough to buy this. Rich and decadent with dried meats, dried mushrooms, ripe fruits, all tied together by flowers and a light cigar box character. The palate isn't bad either, loads of dried fruits, full-bodied and rich. Total decadence with a wild character. Makes me smile.In Bond€3,840.00 -
(6x75cl) 2000James Suckling (98)
The nose alone on this is reason enough to buy this. Rich and decadent with dried meats, dried mushrooms, ripe fruits, all tied together by flowers and a light cigar box character. The palate isn't bad either, loads of dried fruits, full-bodied and rich. Total decadence with a wild character. Makes me smile.In Bond€3,085.00 -
(1x300cl) 2004Vinous - Antonio Galloni (99)
The 2004 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is just as magical as it has always been. Perfumed, light on its feet and supremely elegant, the 2004 dazzles from start to finish. Brisk acids and beams of supporting tannin suggest it will drink well for many years to come. All of the pure sensuality of Asili is on display. Bruno Giacosa achieved an unreal level of finesse in his wines that remains unmatched.In Bond€5,520.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (99)
The 2004 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is just as magical as it has always been. Perfumed, light on its feet and supremely elegant, the 2004 dazzles from start to finish. Brisk acids and beams of supporting tannin suggest it will drink well for many years to come. All of the pure sensuality of Asili is on display. Bruno Giacosa achieved an unreal level of finesse in his wines that remains unmatched.In Bond€3,945.00 -
(6x75cl) 2007Vinous (98)
Giacosa’s 2007 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is flamboyant, exotically ripe and stunning in its absolute beauty. Bright red cherry fruit, rose petal, violet and mint abound in a spellbinding, utterly thrilling Barbaresco. I have always adored the 2007. Once again, it is pure magic.In Bond€3,035.00 -
James Suckling (99)
This is an incredible wine that reminds me of the perfect 2000 Barolo Rocche de Falletto. Flowers, spices, leather and animals. Decadent. Dried mushrooms. Then changes to Japanese ginger and lemon peel. Full-bodied but refined and so long. It has layers of fruit and power. So refined. Ripe and intense. Perfect balance and harmony. It will be released in 2016.In Bond€2,460.00 -
James Suckling (99)
Incredible aromas of violets, roses and blue fruits. So perfumed. Never smelled a wine like this before. Full body, perfectly integrated tannins and bright, vivid acidity. Extremely long and endless. A seamless and great one. An evocative wine that makes you think. Needs three to five years of bottle age on release. Unique red. Available in 2019.In Bond€1,320.00 -
James Suckling (99)
Incredible aromas of violets, roses and blue fruits. So perfumed. Never smelled a wine like this before. Full body, perfectly integrated tannins and bright, vivid acidity. Extremely long and endless. A seamless and great one. An evocative wine that makes you think. Needs three to five years of bottle age on release. Unique red. Available in 2019.In Bond€412.00 -
James Suckling (99)
Incredible aromas of violets, roses and blue fruits. So perfumed. Never smelled a wine like this before. Full body, perfectly integrated tannins and bright, vivid acidity. Extremely long and endless. A seamless and great one. An evocative wine that makes you think. Needs three to five years of bottle age on release. Unique red. Available in 2019.In Bond€1,635.00 -
James Suckling (99)
Incredible aromas of violets, roses and blue fruits. So perfumed. Never smelled a wine like this before. Full body, perfectly integrated tannins and bright, vivid acidity. Extremely long and endless. A seamless and great one. An evocative wine that makes you think. Needs three to five years of bottle age on release. Unique red. Available in 2019.In Bond€1,725.00

