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Bruno Giacosa is often typecast, regarded as a pure, unwavering traditionalist and ranked with the most respected producers of Piemonte’s traditional guard, including Bartolo Mascarello and Giacomo Conterno. While his wines certainly exemplify the classic style of Barolo in their characteristic leanness and restraint—a reserve that is the essence of their trademark femininity and stirring aromatics—he is not absolute in his approach, operating in a state-of-the-art winery and utilizing stainless steel. That said, his classic orientation is apparent in 2003, an expression that wholly rewards Giacosa’s decision to produce Le Rocche del Falletto despite his reservations concerning the vintage. His perspective has changed demonstrably, and the 2003 Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga’s amplified finesse and nuanced depth reveal why.Vinification entails an extended maceration of 30 days; aging transpires in French oak for 30 months, followed by three years’ refinement in bottle. Production for the ’03 Rocche del Falletto totaled only 930 cases.
- Country: Italy Region: Piemonte Sub-Region/Appellation: Barolo
A profound passion for Piemontese wine handed down for three generations…Bruno Giacosa, a man of few words but eloquent talent, practices an extremely simple philosophy based on the respect of traditions both in the vineyard and in the cellar. Giacosa brings out a richness of flavor and an intensity of character to produce wines of meditation. In addition to Bartolo Mascarello, Giacomo Conterno, and Aldo Conterno the Giacosa estate is the most respected producer of traditional style Barolo.
Giacosa is not an enologist, which surprises most people. He learned by working with his father and grandfather and became fascinated by what could be created from the grape. Bruno feels that wines were better in the past, when there was less sophistication and treatment made to both grapes and wine, less handling. The yields were smaller as well. In the old days, he points out, things were done more simply and with more care.
Until recently Giacosa owned no vineyards; he bought all the grapes he required, selecting, as he still does, from some of the area’s best sites. In 1982, he bought the Falletto vineyard in Serralunga. Giacosa firmly believes in the value of single-vineyard bottlings. Crus are only bottled in the better vintages, and if a wine does not attain a very high standard, he either declassifies it, selling the wine as a simple nebbiolo, or he does not bottle it at all. That said, the high hill country positioning—400 metres above sea level—the propitious south/southwest sun exposure, and the peculiar microclimate of the amphitheatre-like vineyards assure a remarkable location for vines. Given the combination of all of these elements, Bruno Giacosa understandably produces an extensive range of high-profile bottles.
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