Bruno Giacosa Valmaggiore Nebbiolo d'Alba 2017
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James
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Robert
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Spectator
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Subtle and elegant with notes of red fruit and dried roses. On the palate, the tannins are present, but fine and well-integrated, and the wine showcases excellent freshness and persistence of fruit.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Lots going on here, for a wine of this category. The notes of blueberry compote, frozen raspberries and balsamic have real fragrant appeal. Meanwhile, a bedrock of firm, compressed tannins supports a vibrant array of wild red fruit and carries acidity-infused layers of citrus long and bright. Shows gravitas and gusto. Drink from 2021.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Nebbiolo d'Alba Vigna Valmaggiore is hitting the market as I write this review. The Giacosa family never made a Langhe Nebbiolo and instead focused their efforts on a site-specific expression of Nebbiolo to fill in the lower end of their portfolio. The 2017 Nebbiolo d'Alba Vigna Valmaggiore hails from an always over-performing site in Roero that is distinguished by floral notes and bright berry intensity. This hot vintage is more accessible and near term (compared to 2016); however, it offers plenty of that pretty floral intensity that makes Valmaggiore so special.
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Wine Spectator
This aromatic red exhibits strawberry, cherry, white pepper and licorice scents. Earth and tobacco flavors chime in as this builds on the palate to a long, well-structured finish. Drink now through 2025.
Other Vintages
2020-
Robert
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Wine
Spectator
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Suckling -
Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
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James
Suckling
One of the legendary winemakers of the world, Bruno Giacosa crafted the most prestigious single-vineyard Barolo and Barbaresco wines during a career that spanned nearly eight decades. He joined the family business at the age of 15, representing the third generation of his Langhe winemaking family. Giacosa’s unfailing pursuit of perfection, his unrivalled palate and his intimate knowledge of vineyards in the Langhe quickly drew recognition and helped establish Piedmont as a leading wine region. In 1982, Giacosa began to acquire prime parcels in Serralunga d’Alba, La Morra and Barbaresco to produce wines that are rightly regarded as the finest expressions of Nebbiolo.
His legacy rests with daughter Bruna, who continues to uphold her father’s winemaking philosophy to respect traditional techniques while using the best of modern technology. The goal is for each distinguished site to produce articulate, unique wines.
The “Azienda Agricola Falletto – di Bruno Giacosa” label represents wines made from estate vineyards. The “Casa Vinicola Bruno Giacosa” label appears on wines made from purchased grapes that are made with the same care in the Nieve winery.
Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Grown throughout the area, as well as in the neighboring Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, it reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Outside of Italy, growers are still very much in the experimentation stage but some success has been achieved in parts of California. Somm Secret—If you’re new to Nebbiolo, start with a charming, wallet-friendly, early-drinking Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba.
An historic village situated right in between the famous regions of Barolo and Barbaresco, Alba is also the name for the larger wine region surrounding the village.
In a sense, “Alba” is a catch-all phrase, and includes the declassified Nebbiolo wines made in Barolo and Barbaresco, as well as the Nebbiolo grown just outside of these regions’ borders. In fact, Nebbiolo d’Alba is a softer, less tannic and more fruit-forward wine ready to drink within just a couple years of bottling. It is a great place to start if you want to begin to understand the grape. Likewise, the even broader category of Langhe Nebbiolo offers approachable and value-driven options as well.
Barbera, planted alongside Nebbiolo in the surrounding hills, and referred to as Barbera d’Alba, takes on a more powerful and concentrated personality compared to its counterparts in Asti.
Dolcetto is ubiquitous here and, known as Dolcetto d'Alba, can be found casually served alongside antipasti on the tables of Alba’s cafes and wine bars.
Not surprisingly, given its location, Alba is recognized as one of Italy’s premiere culinary destinations and is the home of the fall truffle fair, which attracts visitors from worldwide every year.