“Elegance defined” is how I can best describe the wonderful wines of Bruno Giacosa. For mighty good reason, his wines are some of the most sought after from Piedmont. The wines always leave me wanting more — and I think about them for days after I taste them.

Though it may seem like a sermon, if one considers him- or herself a fan of Nebbiolo and wines from Piedmont, then he or she must taste these iconic wines.

There are precious few icons in the wine world. Yes, there are people who make their stamp through wonderful wines, but few really deserve such a lofty description. Bruno Giacosa, however, does. With a sullen face that has been beaten through time, he embodies all that’s good about traditional Barolo and Barbaresco. His wines epitomize what Nebbiolo is all about. They show the more feminine side of the grape and can bring an enthusiast the kind of moments that only great Nebbiolo can. These are wines that need a lot of time and are very coarse in their youth, but can blossom into something splendid with age.

Bruno Giacosa was born in 1929. His father and grandfather were grape growers and sold most of their wines in demijohn. Bruno is not an enologist by trade — he learned by working under his father and grandfather, watching their hands-off style and recognizing that low yields were the hallmark of their wines. He still feels that wines were better made back then.

Bruno produced his first eponymous wine in 1961 and began bottling single vineyard Barolos and Barbarescos in 1967. In 1982, he purchased his first vineyards. This quickly created confusion, so in 1996, he decided to divide his wines into two different “brands.” Under the Casa Vinicola Bruno Giacosa label, he bottles wines he produces from purchased grapes. Under the Azienda Agricola Faletto di Giacosa label, he bottles wines from the vineyards he owns. In total, his properties cover 37 acres of land.

Giacosa’s commitment to quality is legendary. In 2006, he suffered a stroke — so couldn’t work in the vineyards that year. Although it was a tremendous vintage for Piedmont, he chose to sell off the wines from his own vineyards as bulk wine that year. This was a shocking move, but it did highlight the care and respect he has for his wines.

This dedication comes through in the wines. While most of my experience is with young Giacosas, I have been fortunate enough to taste some older bottles — and thus get a glimpse of what they can become with age.

Linked here are all of my Giacosa notes. Pasted below are some notes of the better drinking wines from my birthday dinner a few weeks ago and some previous notes on wines that are also drinking well right now.

Please note that none of these wines were received as press samples.

Review: 1995 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Villero di Castiglione Falletto
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
nose: this easily showed the most maturity on the nose from any of the previous wines. That is to be expected and it gave way to beautiful and savory tones of strawberries, perfumes, incense, tar, florals, and bits of red fruits. Well layered and very pretty.

taste: silky and regal medium body with medium+ acidity and good supporting tannins. Well balanced with a real deft touch on the palate and elegant tones of berries, incense, florals, red fruits, roasted herbs and a good amount of cherries.

overall: This was a gorgeous giacosa. Obviously this is the most mature wine at the tasting and it showed it. This had a regal quality to it and was extremely pretty. This was the kind of wine that I would’ve loved to have spent an entire night with. (93 pts.)

Review: 1997 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
nose: there is an attractive upfront quality to the tones with a very airy and perfumed take on the tones of tart red fruits, strawberries, cherries, roasted herbs, and red florals.

taste: very silky medium feel with medium+ acidity and good polished tannins right now. The tannins and acid aren’t overbearing right now, though they certainly do show themselves. Polished with elegant tones of tart red fruits, strawberries, cherries, roasted herbs and some spice tones as well

overall: Not surprising that a 97 is drinking fairly well. This was certainly on the younger side with nice warmth to the tones on both the nose and palate. Excellent depth as well. This had been decanted for about 4 hours and bottled aired for 2. (92 pts.)

Review: 2000 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
nose: nice and feminine though not exactly delicate. Balanced with a perfumed take on the tones of berries, red florals, licorice, white truffles and some dark red cherries. There is a very nice and savory quality to this with very nice depth.

taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and silky tannins. Very well balanced with some nice layering and pretty tones of dark red cherries, roasted herbs, berries, red florals and some licorice tones too.

overall: This is drinking quite well right now. This has a near ethereal quality to it with a real perfumed and feminine style. Rather surprising for a serralunga, but a real wonderful wine right now. (92 pts.)

Review: 2000 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Rabaja
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
nose: very pretty and feminine with perfumed tones of dark red cherries, berries, strawberries, roasted herbs, and various floral tones. Well balanced with very nice depth as well.

taste: medium bodied with medium/high acidity and very pretty tones of dark red cherries, strawberries, various florals, and some fresh picked berries. Good supporting tannins to this with a silkiness as well.

overall: This was a nice ruby color in the glass. Very pretty and feminine on both the nose and palate. This comes off as drinking young right now like the other 00s in the tasting. (91 pts.)

Review: 1985 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Gallina di Neive
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
nose: gorgeous feminine and silky nose of dried herbs, roses, spice tones, tar, and loads of red cherries. This needed about an hour to really get going, but once it did it just drew you in with its poise and elegance

taste: absolutely gorgeous and satiny medium feel with medium+ acidity and good tannins. Sexy and beautiful tones of dried herbs, roses, spice tones, tar, red cherries, lilacs and loads of dried strawberries as well. Very complex and deep on the palate

overall: what a wonderful wine. This took a bit of time to really come together, but once it did, we were left with a real treat. Supremely balanced with flowing tones on both the nose and palate that add extra layers to the wine (94 pts.)

Review: 1996 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
nose: bold and perfumed nose loaded with asian spices, red cherries, berries, bits of tar and all sorts of floral tones. Great depth and showing all sorts of layering right now as well

taste: chewy tannins and medium/high acidity show off the youth of the wine along with fresh and balanced tones of asian spices, red cherries, roasted herbs, tar, and a good bit of fresh picked berries

overall: A very young wine, but showing off great structure and all sorts of perfume to it. Needs time, but there is a great wine to be had from this with great depth on both the nose and palate (94 pts.) 

Review: 1993 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
nose: deeper and more masculine nose then the villero with pungent tones of asian and indian spices, red currants, red florals, red cherries and a touch of tar. Very well balanced with good layering as well

taste: great medium feel with medium/high acidity and silky tones of berries, asian spices, red florals, tar, and tones of red cherries. Well polished with a stylish sense to it while having some power as well

overall: While this seems at its maturity, it can last a good while as well. The tones are still fresh and vibrant with great balance. There is a really good and understated power behind the wine right now (92 pts.)