Bruno Giacosa's red-label Barbaresco Asili Riserva 2004 in magnum. Giacosa bottled a Riserva only in years he considered outstanding, and critics rated the 2004 very highly.
About This Wine
Asili is a south-facing cru in the commune of Barbaresco with calcareous clay soils, and it tends to give perfumed, finely built Nebbiolo. Giacosa bought vines there in 1996, so the 2004 is estate fruit. Antonio Galloni scored it 99 points. The magnum format slows development further, so this bottle should still have plenty of life ahead.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Rose, sour cherry, tar and liquorice, with orange peel and dried herbs.
- Palate: Powerful and dense, with dark red fruit, fine but assertive tannin and bright acidity.
- Finish: Very long, finishing on spice, earth and floral notes.
Serving & Food
Decant two to three hours before serving at 17°C in large Nebbiolo or Burgundy glasses. Drinking well now, the magnum should hold for another fifteen years or more. Serve with brasato al Barolo, tajarin with white truffle, or roast rack of lamb.
How to Enjoy
A table of eight to ten who want to taste classic Piedmont at its most complete.
Product Details
Producer: Bruno Giacosa / Azienda Agricola Falletto
Country: Italy
Region: Piedmont
Appellation: Barbaresco DOCG
Vineyard: Asili
Classification: Riserva (red label)
Vintage: 2004
Grape Variety: Nebbiolo
Volume: 1.5L magnum
About the Winery
The Giacosa cellar in Neive dates back to Bruno's grandfather Carlo, around 1900. Bruno started working beside his father Mario in his teens and, for decades, bought grapes from growers across the Langhe, relying on his palate to pick the right sites. Vineyard ownership came later: Falletto in Serralunga in 1982, then Asili and Rabajà in 1996.
Since 2012 the Barolo and Barbaresco have been made only from estate fruit. Bruno died in 2018 and his daughter Bruna now runs the company. The white label is the normal release; the red label Riserva appears only when the family judges a vintage worthy, and in weak years some wines are not bottled at all.
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