Bruno Giacosa 2020 Barolo Falletto 750ml

Bruno Giacosa is a genuine legend of Piedmont — often called "the Genius of Neive" — a winemaker whose career spanned nearly eight decades and whose maroon-labeled bottlings are enough, on sight alone, to make serious collectors' hearts race. He joined the family business at just 15 years old, representing the third generation of his Langhe winemaking family, and in 1982 began acquiring prime parcels in Serralunga d'Alba, La Morra, and Barbaresco specifically to produce what are now widely regarded as some of the finest expressions of Nebbiolo ever made. Giacosa considered Falletto the single best area he worked with for producing elegant, genuinely long-lived Barolo — a southwest-facing vineyard on steep, amphitheater-shaped slopes of calcareous clay soil in Serralunga d'Alba. His legacy now rests with his daughter Bruna, who continues upholding her father's philosophy of respecting traditional technique while employing the best of modern winemaking.

The 2020 vintage is crafted entirely from Nebbiolo, aged in large French oak barrels for over two years before further bottle aging — a patient, traditional approach consistent with the estate's decades-long reputation for structure, elegance, and extraordinary aging potential. James Suckling awarded a remarkable 97 Points, praising the wine's "enticing depth," a "medium- to full-bodied profile," with notes of "cherries, strawberries, and white truffles," closing on "a juicy, precise finish." Wine Spectator scored the wine 94 Points, noting "strawberry, cherry, rose, eucalyptus, and mineral flavors," framed by "dense, fine-grained tannins," describing an overall profile that's "elegant" and genuinely "Burgundy-like."

Hi Proof's official tasting notes describe "red cherries, red berries, violet, licorice, herbs, spice, and mineral notes" on the nose, developing into "ripe red fruit, blackberry, blueberry, orange peel, licorice, and crushed stone" on the palate, "with elegant acidity and fine-grained tannins." Wine.com's own tasting confirms "red garnet in color," with "elegant and fine aromas of fresh plum, cherry and spice notes," the wine "dense and structured with great freshness on the palate." Folio Fine Wine Partners describes the Falletto style broadly as "austere, elegant and complex on the nose, with excellent structure and suave tannins." This is genuinely one of the most celebrated single-vineyard Barolos in the entire category — a real showcase of what Serralunga's own terroir, in the hands of Piedmont's most legendary winemaking family, can achieve.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto is produced by Azienda Agricola Falletto di Bruno Giacosa, founded by the legendary Bruno Giacosa, who joined his family's winemaking business at 15 years old as the third generation of a Langhe winemaking family. In 1982, Giacosa began acquiring prime vineyard parcels in Serralunga d'Alba, La Morra, and Barbaresco, and considered Falletto — a southwest-facing, amphitheater-shaped vineyard on steep, calcareous clay slopes in Serralunga d'Alba — the finest site he worked with for producing elegant, long-lived Barolo. The estate is now led by Giacosa's daughter, Bruna, who continues her father's traditional winemaking philosophy alongside modern technique.

The 2020 vintage is crafted entirely from Nebbiolo, matured in large French oak barrels for over two years, followed by additional bottle aging before release.

Critics Reviews

James Suckling — 97 Points:
"Praised for its enticing depth, medium- to full-bodied profile, notes of cherries, strawberries, and white truffles, and a juicy, precise finish."

Wine Spectator — 94 Points:
"Noted for strawberry, cherry, rose, eucalyptus, and mineral flavors, framed by dense, fine-grained tannins with an elegant, Burgundy-like profile."

Folio Fine Wine Partners (house-style context):
"The Falletto wines are austere, elegant and complex on the nose, with excellent structure and suave tannins."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Red cherry and strawberry lead, joined by white truffle, rose, violet, and licorice, alongside herbs, spice, and mineral notes, with a touch of eucalyptus.

Palate
Medium- to full-bodied, with ripe red fruit, blackberry, and blueberry carrying real depth, joined by orange peel, licorice, and crushed stone, framed by dense, fine-grained tannins and elegant acidity.

Finish
Juicy and precise, closing with lingering mineral crushed-stone character and refined tannin structure — genuinely elegant, with a Burgundy-like sense of finesse.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Braised or roasted red meat
• White truffle-based dishes
• Aged, hard cheeses
• Rich, savory ragù