$100 and over
Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto Vigna Le Rocche Riserva
There are very few stories in the world of wine that are more important to tell than that of Bruno Giacosa. A man’s legacy etched into lore, and with such gravitas that it is still felt today in his native Piemonte by almost all the producers in the region. Born in 1929 in Neive where the winery remains, Bruno Giacosa spent his formative teenage years working with his father Carlo as a ‘commerciante’ or grape broker. This very important but often overlooked part of Giacosa’s history is perhaps the key to understanding his unrivalled ability to select fruit, even that which he hadn’t grown himself. The family’s income at that time revolved solely around the ability to sell fruit to winemakers, and taking any fruit to Vinify themselves would have been a conflict of interest. In fact, his father so vehemently opposed the young Bruno’s intention to bottle his own wine in the early 1960’s, that he had to do so without the blessing of the family. The first vintage wearing the label Bruno Giacosa was 1961, a single Barbaresco bottling from a mixture of vineyards as was custom at the time. It was the prominent wine author and critic Luigi Veronelli who at the time was crusading for Piedmont’s adoption of the French ‘cru’ classification of vineyard that convinced Giacosa to bottle and (importantly) label single vineyard wines soon after his first vintage. The first labelled cru bottling was the 1964 Barbaresco Vigna Santo Stefano, but it is possible that even the first wine used fruit exclusively from there. While the obsession with site continued and strengthened throughout Bruno Giacosa’s career, so did the predilection to purchase fruit from growers rather than buy vineyards himself. Though Giacosa was not the only winemaker somewhat late to the party in buying land in the Langhe, it is regarded as his greatest missed opportunity. Some of Italy’s greatest wines ever were Giacosa’s red label bottlings from Santo Stefano di Neive, Villero and Collina Rionda, none of which are produced today by the estate. In vinous literacy, it is impossible to read about the Langhe without reading about Giacosa and his contemporary Angelo Gaja. While Gaja was a willing frontman for the region, Giacosa continued to toil in the background. Both leading from the front and each producing the region’s best wines. Winemaking involves a great many small decisions, each affecting the next. One can only hope to get them right, to capture what there was in the grapes to begin with. - Bruno Giacosa Very few wines in the world come close to matching the complexity and presence of red label ‘Vigna Le Rocche’. In the vintages this plot is kept as a Riserva, the acidity, tannin and above all the balance must be in complete harmony due to the rigorous demands of both extended barrel ageing and the potential for a half-century in bottle. In their youth, Le Rocche Riserva is an immense wine. It is not forthcoming with its fruit when young, but nor is it disjointed in alcohol or tannin at any point. A rare kind of wine that seems carved from billet rather than made up of different parts. A cohesive wine of the tallest order, with some vintages vying for greatest wine of Italy. Intense red garnet colour with orange hints. The bouquet is complex and elegant, with notes of small ripe red fruit, blackcurrants, pomegranate and raspberries. On the palate it is full bodied, with an excellent tannic structure, the tannins are silky that give an excellent persistence to the wine.
Trediberri Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata DOCG
Trediberri is a winery located in La Morra that was established by Nicola Oberto, his father Federico, and his friend Vladimiro. In 2007, they acquired 5 hectares of vineyards in the MGA Berri, which is the origin of the winery's name. Trediberri's wines have become popular since their first vintage in 2011, thanks to their fresh and immediate style that highlights the fruit and drinkability of the wines. They have moved away from the traditional notion of Barolo being a wine with a strong structure but not very smooth in the mouth. Trediberri currently cultivates around 8 hectares of vineyards in La Morra, including Rocche dell'Annunziata, Berri, Capalot, and Torriglione, which produce Barolo, Langhe Nebbiolo, Barbera d'Alba, and Langhe Sauvignon. The original Rocche dell'Annunziata referred to the entire south and southwest-facing slope, where the Ciabot d'Can stands, as well as the vineyards that face south and southeast near the road to the hamlet of Torriglione. Barolo is a type of red wine that is produced exclusively from the Nebbiolo grape variety and is made in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. The wine is typically produced in the area surrounding the town of Barolo, as well as in several other communes. One of Trediberri's most notable wines is the Trediberri Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata. This wine is grown from old vines planted in Annunziata di La Morra, which allows for the harvest of the highest quality grapes. The wine is known for its complexity, elegance, and finesse, and it features notes of dark cherry, kirsch, hard candy, rose petal, and mint. The wine's intensely aromatic finish is lifted by a range of perfumed, floral accents.
Fontanafredda Barolo DOCG
Established in 1858 by the first king of Italy, Fontanafredda is now the single largest contiguous wine estete in the Langhe region, with a fierce commitment to organic viticulture as well as woodland regeneration. The Platinum label represents the unique tradition of the Estate and more than 160 years of history. The Nebbiolo grapes used to produce this Barolo are grown on claily soils very rich in calcareous marl. The wine ages for 2years in large Slavonian and French oak casks. An attractive ruby-red colour with garnet highlights. Clean, full and intense aromas with the wine's typical traces of dried flowers, crushed leaves and underbrush. There is plenty of structure, with robust tannins supported by fleshy red fruits, liquorice, and subtle mocha notes Pair with rich red meats, game and mature cheese.
Fontanafredda Barolo DOCG Riserva
Established in 1858 by the first king of Italy, Fontanafredda is now the single largest contiguous wine estate in the Langhe region, with a fierce commitment to organic viticulture as well as woodland regeneration. The Platinum label represents the unique tradition of the Estate and more than 160 years of history. This is a serious, brooding Barolo, aged at the Estate for a minimum of 62 months to highlight the complexity, structure and richness of classic Barolo Reserva. Ruby red with the faintest hints of bricking on the edge. Intensely aromatic and complex, with black cherries, tobacco, dried mushrooms, nutmeg, and sweet balsamic notes all vying for attention. Supple, sweet fruit and round, powdery tannins on the palate. So much complexity with nothing out of place.
G.D. vajra Luigi Baudana Ceretta
Produttori Del Barbaresco Riserva Montefico
PRODUTTORI DEL BARBARESCO Riserva Montefico, Barbaresco DOCG
Produttori Del Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano
PRODUTTORI DEL BARBARESCO Riserva Montestefano, Barbaresco DOCG