April 26, 2024 - Brooding and layered. A fairly masculine Barbaresco with a very pronounced tannic backbone. Aromatically pleasant but with a very particular Giacosa plumminess.
December 10, 2023 - Annual Tasting Group Holiday Party (St. Genevieve, Mpls, MN): Same bottle as Bellissimo. Drank a glass over an hour. One hour decant and several hours of slow-O time. Lacquer, cherry liqueur, aromatic on the nose. This was a bit sharp and angular on the palate to start; it blossomed after a good 30-60 minutes in glass showing a layered, deeper dark red fruit profile, savory, full bodied, still grippy.
December 10, 2023 - Brought to a large gathering, shared with friends over dinner and conversation. Forgot my notes at the venue :(
Decanted 1 hour at home then sat in bottle with cork removed for 2+ hours before we got around to this. Very fragrant with rose petals, violets, sous-bois, and darker raspberry. Palate mostly follows the nose with less sous-bois and add in some licorice. Not lacking in acids but this is still a tannin driven wine best served with food.
October 20, 2023 - Lunch at Bacata. Tasted blind. Drank in Grassl 1855.
Appearance is clear, pale intensity, garnet colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of perfumed roses, light tar, earth, red cherries. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14%), soft integrated high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of pretty red cherries, soft red plums, blue fruit, light tar, earth. Long finish with some pucker.
Very good quality. Not the best Giacosa showing, but nonetheless there still a certain quality there. Note that this was during a difficult period for the winery. Drink in the nearer term.
October 13, 2023 - Single blind. Lots of red cherry, licorice and smoke aromas. Bright, spicy and lifted on the palate with structure that is well-integrated. Classic and tasty, if more mature than you'd expect at this age.
October 13, 2023 - Barbaresco vs. Barolo (Chicago, IL): Served single blind. A bit of a stewy wine, with dark fruit and notes of overripeness. Knowing the contents of the flight, and having had this wine before, I guessed that this was the Falletto. Not entirely convinced that this was a representative bottle, but then again, I haven't had it in many years. Certainly a disappointment when it comes to the name on the label, but we all know the story at this point.
March 31, 2023 - 산딸기, 체리, 자두, 허브, 흙, 꽃향기에
상큼한 산미, 부드러운듯 존재감 있는 타닌, 미디엄 투 풀 바디
세월이 무색하게 여전히 풍부한 과실에 힘도 짱짱하다.
밸런스도 좋고 피니쉬도 우아하고.
역시 명가는 다르지!
November 11, 2022 - Single Blind Flight of 2007, 2008 and 2009 Giacosa Asili
Bouquet had fantastic aromatics, violets, roses with cherry and cool cola. Plate slightly awkward and reticent with licorice, tobacco and orange peel. Did not quite have the precision and lushness associated with Giacosa.
August 21, 2022 - This likely has another 10-12 years to evolve, rewarding now but by no means done. The picture of Piemonte hills on the label brings back memories, if you haven’t gone, go. If you have, go back. Drinking the barolos and barbarescos and Barbera’s with the local food to me might be the best experience amongst Italy’s incomparable (sorry France) food and wine experiences. Maybe it’s the people.
February 4, 2022 - Opened it with some trepidation as I thought it might a bit on the young side. It was, but that did not mean that it was closed. With a quick splash decant, it was very drinkable. Loved that lovely nebb nose, the (surprisingly) fine tannins, the juicy acidity... this was a very, very fine nebb, one that was in a great spot (if a bit young).