Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco DOCG Falletto 2018

96 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

The 2018 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco has a complex nose of sweet spice, light tobacco and black cherry. This is followed by a soft, gentle texture like melted butter, wrapping itself around cherries, light cream, sweet cinnamon, and cedar oak spice. The wine is medium-full bodied with a super-silky texture that flows gracefully across the palate with a wonderful seamless quality. There may be a little just-ripe fruit in the middle - more red fruits than black, with some lively notes of green herbs, flowers, and peppercorns but this provides an exciting contrast with the texture. The tannins are deeply integrated into the wine and feel almost invisible. Its finesse makes it approachable now, but it would be better to wait two years.

Silky, supple, and charming, the 2018 Barbaresco from Giacosa is a wonderful example of what makes Barbaresco so alluring. Rose petals and some citrus fruit, too, and there’s also a real energy on the palate. This is very fine-boned, and there’s an almost Pinot-Noir like clarity to the finish.