Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili

Barbaresco DOCG, Piemonte, Italy

Asili represents one of the most important single vineyards of Barbaresco. Bruno Giacosa purchased vineyards in Asili in the 1980s, which now total 2.5 hectares.

Tasting Notes

Red garnet colour of good intensity. On the nose you can perceive delicate aromas of ripe red fruit; In the mouth it has a good balance and a good tannic texture. The tannins are present but sweet and silky, good persistence and excellent nose-mouth correspondence.

The 2022 growing season marked the second consecutive year of drought in Piedmont, a defining feature of the vintage. A snowless winter left soils with minimal water reserves, compounding the effects of the dry 2021 season. The lack of soil moisture led to an early budbreak that, fortunately, occurred during excellent flowering conditions with abundant sunshine and mild temperatures. While the lack of rain and summer heat slowed fruit set and extended the ripening cycle, there was enough residual soil moisture, combined with meticulous canopy management, to help mitigate the most severe effects of the drought. The result were lower yields, small berries and compact clusters. The lack of seasonal rain resulted in an early harvest, with Nebbiolo picked by early October. The resulting wines reflect resilience in challenging conditions, displaying rich, concentrated fruit and aromatic purity—hallmarks of a high-quality vintage that should offer both immediate charm and the potential to age gracefully.

Harvest Date: October 4, 2022

Fermentation and Maceration: 20 days in stainless steel vats
Malolactic Fermentation: Developed
Refinement: 18 months in big French oak barrels, 6 months in bottle
Bottling: July 2024

Vineyard: Asili subarea, Village of Barbaresco
Area: 2.5 ha
Exposure: South / Southwest
Altitude: 250m
Soil: Clay-calcareous with good percentage of sand
Age of Vines: 34 years old
Vineyard Density: 4.2 vines per hectare
Yield: 45 hl/ha

Varietal: Nebbiolo
Alcohol: 15%
pH: 3.57
TA: 5.4 g/L
Total Extract: 28.0 g/L

Asili represents one of the most important single vineyards of Barbaresco. Bruno Giacosa purchased vineyards in Asili in the 1980s, which now total 2.5 hectares.

Tasting Notes

Intense garnet red color. Notes of raspberry and wild strawberry with floral tones are found on the nose. On the palate, good structure is matched with freshness of fruit and fine tannins.

Early reports of the 2019 vintage have described it as a classic year. A cold wet spring slowed vine growth and the persistent rain made rot and disease a threat. However, despite the added risks, the rains gave the soils the much-needed water to survive the summer months. June then delivered a fantastic summer with the hot, dry days lasting through to August when a hailstorm broke loose. Good conditions swiftly picked up again and idyllic weather continued into September.

  • Grape variety: Nebbiolo
  • Subarea: Asili (Village of Barbaresco)
  • Area: 2.5 ha
  • Vineyard exposure: South and southwest
  • Age of vines: 30 years old
  • Soil: Calcareous clay with a good percentage of sand
  • Vineyard density: 4,200 vines per hectare
  • Yield: 45 hL/hectare
  • Harvest date: October 10, 2019
  • Fermentation and maceration: 15 days in stainless steel vats
  • Malolactic fermentation: completely developed
  • Refinement: 18 months in 110L Botti cask of French oak, 6 months in bottle
  • Bottling: July 2021
  • Alcohol: 14.30% vol.
  • Total acidity: 5.56 g/L
  • pH: 3.59
  • Total extract: 27.4 g/L
  • Optimal period for consumption: 2021-2040

Asili represents one of the most important single vineyards of Barbaresco. Bruno Giacosa purchased vineyards in Asili in the 1980s, which now total 2.5 hectares.

Tasting Notes

Intense garnet color with orange highlights. Notes of red fruit and roses are found on the nose. On the palate, good structure is matched with freshness of fruit and sweet, silky tannins.

The 2017 vintage will be a year to remember for the challenges that growers faced from Mother Nature, namely hot weather and very little rain. Surprisingly, the wines produced do not show any notes of over-ripeness commonly found in a hot year. This balance in the wines is attributed to the stark temperature swings with cool summer nights tempering the hot days. The Barbaresco is fruit-driven with good acidity, and the Barolo is rich and austere.

  • Grape variety: Nebbiolo
  • Subarea: Asili (Village of Barbaresco)
  • Area: 2.5 ha
  • Vineyard exposure: South and southwest
  • Age of vines: 28 years old
  • Soil: Calcareous clay with a good percentage of sand
  • Vineyard density: 4,200 vines per hectare
  • Yield: 45 hL/hectare
  • Harvest date: September 19, 2017
  • Fermentation and maceration: 15 days in stainless steel vats
  • Malolactic fermentation: completely developed
  • Refinement: 18 months in Botti cask of French oak, 6 months in bottle
  • Bottling: July 2019
  • Alcohol: 14.5% vol.
  • Total acidity: 5.40 g/L
  • pH: 3.55
  • Total extract: 29.2 g/L
  • Optimal period for consumption: 2020-2035

Vintage: This vintage started with an early budding of the vines followed by a normal spring and a very hot summer, especially during the month of July with temperatures much higher than normal. The wines made from the Nebbiolo grape in this vintage are fragrant and distinctly fruity with a good tannic plot and a medium to high structure. The 2015 Barbaresco Asili is the emblem of balance and fruitiness.

Tasting Notes

Intense garnet red color. Notes of raspberry, blackcurrant and wild strawberry are found on the nose. On the palate, good structure is matched with freshness of fruit and fine tannins.

  • Grape variety: Nebbiolo
  • Subarea: Asili (Village of Barbaresco)
  • Area: 2.5 ha
  • Vineyard exposure: South and southwest
  • Age of vines: 18 years old
  • Soil: Calcareous clay with a sandy vein
  • Harvest date: September 22-24, 2015
  • Fermentation and maceration: 17 days in stainless steel vats
  • Malolactic fermentation: completely developed
  • Refinement: 18 months in large, 110hL Botti cask of French oak, 6 months in bottle
  • Bottling: July 2017
  • Alcohol: 14.50% vol.
  • Total acidity: 5.60 g/L
  • pH: 3.53
  • Total extract: 29.8 g/L
  • Optimal period for consumption: 2020-2030

Bruno Giacosa’s winemaking philosophy combines a respect for tradition and conservative winemaking with the selected use of modern technology to obtain the best expression of each vineyard’s terroir. He is convinced that great wines begin in the vineyard with the production of grapes cultivated by experienced growers. This belief pushes him to improve quality with every harvest. In the cellar, the goal is to produce a wine that maintains its identity from vine to bottle, so winemaking methods are traditional and in full respect of the grape’s typical characteristics.

Tasting Notes

The nose offers red fruit characters and aromas of roses and dried flowers. The palate presents good structure supported by excellent freshness. Tannins are present, but they are sweet and silky.

  • Grape variety: Nebbiolo
  • Alcohol: 14.5% vol.
  • Total acidity: 5.60 g/L
  • pH: 3.58

  • 20251028

    94

    points

    Vinous, October 2025

    "The 2022 Barbaresco Asili is gorgeous. Silky, aromatic and light on its feet, the 2022 is classic Asili all the way. Its translucent finesse and energy are remarkable. Today, the 2022 is a bit stern in terms of its tannins. While I don’t see the seductive fruit and inner perfume of Giacosa's best Asilis, the 2022 is still one of the finest wines to emerge from this cellar in years."

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  • 20250501

    96

    points

    Jeb Dunnuck, May 2025

    "The team will not produce a 2022 Riserva release, and the 2022 Barbaresco Asili will be only release from Asili. From this cru with sandier soils, it was aged for 20 months in large barrels. In the glass, it boasts a jewel-toned ruby color and is fresh and ripe with aromas of pure raspberries, wild strawberries, rocky earth, and pressed roses. The palate is fruity and appealing, with refreshing lift, well-defined tannins, even acidity, and a kiss of stone fruit and mouthwatering salinity on the finish. It has just a hint of warmth, but it’s very well-balanced and joyful, making it a pretty vintage of this wine. Drink 2026-2050."

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  • 20250324

    96

    points

    Decanter, March 2025

    "As transparent as it is intense, the nose presents dark cherry and raspberry entwined with mint, lilac and mace. The palate amplifies these perfumes and brings in nuances of truffle and citrus zest. Chalky tannins are refined, and scintillating acidity surges between the layers giving a satisfying crunch on the lingering finish. Harvested on 4 October, the estate’s Asili rises above the challenges of 2022 demonstrating, above all, breed of site and skill of winemaking. Bruna Giacosa confirms that she will not produce any Riserva in 2022, saying that while the vintage resembles 2015 somewhat, it doesn’t have the same ageing potential."

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  • 20250130

    95

    points

    Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, January 2025

    "The Bruno Giacosa 2022 Barbaresco Asili is hitting the market now. It was bottled on the 15th of July, 2024. This elegant wine shows the finely tuned and nuanced essence of Asili with its fine soils. It opens to a bright ruby color and delivers chalky tannins that retain their tension and grippy feel. On the close, you get hints of violets and blue flower. This is a very terroir-driven wine, but it needs more time in bottle to fully express itself. There will be a red label, or Riserva, made in 2020 to be released later this year (that I have reviewed here). A 2021 Riserva will be released in 2026. If Bruna Giacosa (daughter of the late Bruno Giacosa) makes a red label, the white label is not produced."

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  • 20250130

    96

    points

    James Suckling, January 2025

    "This shows a lovely depth of berries, chocolate and cedar. Medium-bodied, racy and pretty. A little timid now, but should turn out like the 2020 with a little more structure. Needs three or four years of bottle age."

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  • 20230824

    95

    points

    Wine Advocate, August 2023

    "With the white label, the 2019 Barbaresco Asili is a wine of exceptional clarity and focus. That brightness is applied to the bouquet and the mouthfeel alike, where the wine feels streamlined, elegant and tight. Asili is redolent of wild fruit, violets and candied orange peel. This wine was bottled in 2021 and needs a few more years in glass before it really starts to unwind and soften."

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  • 2023-01-11

    95

    points

    Wine Spectator, January 2023

    "Rich and round, this red displays cherry, raspberry, floral and mint flavors. Delivers a juicy texture that offsets the dense tannins, leaving a harmonious feel as this winds down on the lingering, well-structured finish. Best from 2025 through 2045."

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  • 2022-04-01

    98

    points

    James Suckling, April 2022

    "Sweet and succulent aromas of tangerines, freshly cut ripe strawberries, cherries and flowers follow through to a full-bodied palate with sleek and dense tannins that run the length of the wine and then fan out into a dense, vivid finish of fruit. It’s chewy and seriously structured with finesse and energy. Silky texture."

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  • 2020-11-30

    93

    points

    Wine Spectator, November 2020

    "A focused, racy style, brimming with strawberry, cherry and mineral flavors. Elegant and balanced, with floral touches and a lingering aftertaste. The firm, integrated structure will allow this red to evolve gracefully. Best from 2023 through 2042. 185 cases imported."

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  • 2018-07-31

    95

    points

    Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator, July 2018

    "Macerated cherry, plum, mineral and leafy, herbal notes highlight this tightly wound red. Elegant, with silkiness up front and assertive tannins guarding the finish. Gains complexity with air. Best from 2022 through 2040. 1,125 cases made."

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  • 2016-12-01

    94

    points

    Stephanie Johnson, Wine & Spirits, December 2016

    "This wine’s texture is lovely, with lightly abrasive tannins that weave through its saturated flavors of black cherry and plum. The fruit is rich, its sweet ripeness balanced by fresh acidity. The flavors take on notes of anise and pepper, verging into some savory notes that provide ballast—on the dark end of the spectrum for Barbaresco, calling for a match with rich beef or veal dishes."

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  • 2016-10-04

    98

    points

    Rich Cook, Wine Review Online, October 2016

    "Once in a while I get a chance to taste a wine that shows me something I've not experienced before in the most positive way imaginable. The Asili is such a wine -- at its young age, it shows absolutely explosive aromas of cherry, fresh cut orange, powder, candied raspberry and mixed spice, all just as clear as a cathedral bell. The palate is just starting to show the promise of the nose, with a firm grip and dry earth minerality up front now, but the promise is solid as a rock. Riveting wine!"

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  • 2016-02-01

    95

    points

    Kerin O'Keefe, Wine Enthusiast, February 2016

    "Red rose, iris, perfumed berry and baking spice emerge on this stunning, vibrant wine. The elegantly structured palate offers crushed raspberry, juicy red cherry, cinnamon and chopped herb while fresh acidity and polished tannins provide a bright, elegant framework. Drink 2018–2027."

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  • 2015-12-04

    94

    points

    Antonio Galloni, Vinous, December 2015

    "The 2012 Barbaresco Asili is the finest wine I have tasted from Bruno Giacosa since the 2007 vintage. A bright, beautifully translucent red, the 2012 Asili captures the essence of this great site in its perfumed aromatics, silky fruit and understated depth. Hints of orange zest, rose petal, cinnamon and pine are laced into the resonant, alluring finish. Already quite open and expressive, the 2012 should drink well for the next decade or so. Giacosa fans will find much to admire in the sexy, open-knit 2012 Asili. This is a tremendous showing, and one of the very best 2012s readers will come across."

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  • 2015-11-18

    96

    points

    James Suckling, James Suckling, November 2015

    "This has superb elegance and depth to it. Full to medium body, ultra-fine tannins and a wonderful length. Exquisite tannins. All about class this year. Grows on the palate. The quality of the tannins! Drink or hold."

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  • 2015-10-14

    Tre Bicchieri

    award

    , Gambero Rosso, October 2015

    ""

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  • 2015-10-07

    93

    points

    Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator, October 2015

    "Enticing flavors of cherry, strawberry, eucalyptus and underbrush mark this elegant, firm red. Tightly wound for now and just hinting at the future. Best from 2018 through 2030."

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  • 2015-06-30

    94

    points

    Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, June 2015

    "Bruno Giacosa's 2012 Barbaresco Asili benefitted from a warm growing season. The wine opens to a dark, compact appearance and shows an impressive level of aromatic intensity and complexity. The tannins are slightly less mature and more astringent in 2012 compared to 2011. This bodes well for the aging potential of this beautiful wine. Fresh acidity caps a very pretty portrait of the Nebbiolo grape. This is a lovely offering from this historic producer."

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TRADE & MEDIA ASSETS /////////////////

2022 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili – Label

2022 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili – Tasting Notes

2019 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili – 95 points, Wine Advocate – Shelftalker

2019 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili – 95 points, Wine Advocate – Sell Sheet

2019 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili – 98 pts, James Suckling – Sell Sheet

2019 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili – Tasting Notes

2017 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili – Tasting Notes

2017 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili – Label

2015 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili – Tasting notes

2015 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili – Label

Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili – Bottle

Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili – Bottle – 2012 and before

2012 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili – Label

2012 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili – Tasting Notes

Bruno Giacosa Photography – Asili panorama

Bruno Giacosa Photography – Bruno and Bruna Giacosa

Bruno Giacosa Photography – Harvest

Bruno Giacosa Photography – Harvest 2

Bruno Giacosa Photography – Estate