Among the wines of Bruno Giacosa, few inspire such reverence as the Barbaresco Asili Riserva — a bottling that appears only in the very finest vintages, and always under the estate’s fabled “Etichetta Rossa” (Red Label). It is a wine that defines not just the Asili cru, but the very heights that Nebbiolo can achieve.
The Asili vineyard, in the heart of Barbaresco, is famed for its calcareous marl soils and south-west exposure, producing wines of perfume, finesse, and longevity. Giacosa’s parcels here, some of the most treasured in the commune, yield Nebbiolo of natural concentration and elegance. When the fruit is deemed exceptional enough to carry the Red Label, the result is a Barbaresco of profound depth and singular identity.
Winemaking at Giacosa has always been rooted in tradition: long fermentations, extended macerations, and maturation in large Slavonian oak botti for up to three years. The Riserva spends additional time in both cask and bottle before release, ensuring the tannins are refined and the structure is seamless without compromising ageworthiness.
In youth, Barbaresco Asili Riserva is intensely aromatic — rose petal, violets, sour cherry, raspberry, and blood orange, layered with tar, licorice, and mineral undertones. The palate is powerful yet silken, with Nebbiolo’s signature tannins perfectly integrated into a frame of crystalline acidity and endless length. With age, it blossoms into extraordinary complexity: truffle, dried rose, tobacco, cedar, and savoury spice circling around a still-vivid core of fruit.
These wines are built for the long haul. Great vintages can comfortably age 30–40 years, gaining depth and nobility with every passing decade. To open a bottle is to experience one of Piedmont’s greatest achievements — a wine that unites power, perfume, and precision in a way few others can match.
Bruno Giacosa’s Barbaresco Asili Riserva is more than a cru expression: it is a touchstone of Italian fine wine, a Red Label masterpiece that has earned its place among the world’s most collectible and celebrated bottles.