bruno giacosa

Top Dogs: Part 1

by whitney on March 20, 2010



The Barbera 7 did actually have some time off from all things barbera. While in arguably the best winemaking region in Italy, there were plenty of producers to visit. We just happened to be able to visit and taste with some of the best (in my humble opinion.) The pezzo grosso- the top dogs…

giorgio

Giorgio Lavagna, the enologist for Bruno Giacosa. What a guy. Cool, calm, collected. A guy that, for some reason, I feel would have a home outfitted in Armani Casa in shades of grey. I met Giorgio back in October and tasted completely different wines than this time around. It was amazing to be able to revisit him and the wine in a different context and with a much better understanding of the region than just 5 short months ago.

In the quiet early evening, the Giacosa tasting room in Neive was the eye of the storm. A place we sought refuge after days of intense tastings and polemical arguments on oak and the “true” barbera. Giorgio spoke of the Giacosa style-  which is no style at all. To let the land speak for itself. That all the work is done in the vineyard. A humble man clearly, but he’s right. His goal is for the wines to taste “clean and clear, showing the least amount of interference.” And that when tasting wine, the first things it must show is the grape variety and the terroir. What a novel idea.

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