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If you appreciate Barbaresco and Barolo, then the symbolic and patriarchic name of Bruno Giacosa is not new to you. However, the producer we are talking about today is the smaller, more artisanal Carlo Giacosa. Aside from iconic last name, they do share three important things in common, and that is (1) prized grand cru like vineyard holdings in Barbaresco (Montefico, Asili, Ovello and Cole), (2) Dante Scaglione – the esteemed consulting enologist that assisted Bruno Giacosa in making some of his most legendary Barolo and Barbaresco, and (3) a traditional expression of the noble Nebbiolo. What may surprise you even further is that this is not a new estate, there is a long history here. Carlo’s father, Donato, was among the few growers that founded the Produttori del Barbaresco in 1958 under the guidance of the priest of Barbaresco. Carlo himself grew up alongside Angelo Gaja as Donato performed a lot of vineyard work for the GAJA family. Then, in the mid-sixties, Donato and the family went out on their own bottling their own wines and have remained under the radar in the US. Until now that is, with Dante Scaglione on board over the past few years, this is a historic rising star to watch.

Carlo Giacosa is small, farming just five hectares, yielding a mere 3,000 cases a year of traditionally driven Barbaresco. They practice organic, producing wines from long macerations and aging in large casks. More importantly, they count some of Barbaresco’s most famous crus as their own. There is the structured single vineyard Barbaresco Vigna Montefico, which is sourced from the eponymous cru.