Winemaker Notes
The Carlo Giacosa Winery, run by the family for four generations, is situated in Barbaresco, home to some of Italy’s most prestigious wines, and possesses a lovely view over the village’s medieval tower and the Tanaro Valley. Donato Giacosa, Carlo’s father, founded the winery and, as an expert vine grafter, working both for his own and surrounding estates, encouraged the development of the area’s immaculately geometrical vineyards and, as a consequence, helped shape the very hills of Barbaresco. Carlo, together with his wife Carla, continued in the family tradition, cultivating his roots along with those of his vines. Carlo has developed the winery through the years, aiming always for the highest quality in his wines. Now, it is Maria Grazia’s turn, the latest Giacosa to run the firm. She works alongside Carlo, her dad, and Luca, her son. The Giacosa family history is inextricably a wine-making one. Through the years, they have seen the arrival of research papers for sale new technologies, they have built bigger winery buildings and have designed new labels for their products. But the wines themselves are still, as they have always been, the proof of the Giacosa’s family passion for the work that they do.
A wine that most perfectly conveys the spirit and essence of its place, Barbaresco is true reflection of terroir. Its star grape, like that in the neighboring Barolo region, is Nebbiolo. Four townships within the Barbaresco zone can produce Barbaresco: the actual village of Barbaresco, as well as Neive, Treiso and San Rocco Seno d'Elvio.
Broadly speaking there are more similarities in the soils of Barbaresco and Barolo than there are differences. Barbaresco’s soils are approximately of the same two major soil types as Barolo: blue-grey marl of the Tortonion epoch, producing more fragile and aromatic characteristics, and Helvetian white yellow marl, which produces wines with more structure and tannins.
Nebbiolo ripens earlier in Barbaresco than in Barolo, primarily due to the vineyards’ proximity to the Tanaro River and lower elevations. While the wines here are still powerful, Barbaresco expresses a more feminine side of Nebbiolo, often with softer tannins, delicate fruit and an elegant perfume. Typical in a well-made Barbaresco are expressions of rose petal, cherry, strawberry, violets, smoke and spice. These wines need a few years before they reach their peak, the best of which need over a decade or longer. Bottle aging adds more savory characteristics, such as earth, iron and dried fruit.
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.