Wine Advisor
Bruno Giacosa, Barbaresco Asili Riserva 2000
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: James Suckling
The nose alone on this is reason enough to buy this. Rich and decadent with dried meats, dried mushrooms, ripe fruits, all tied together by flowers and a light cigar box character. The palate isn't bad either, loads of dried fruits, full-bodied and rich. Total decadence with a wild character. Makes me smile.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Served from a magnum, the 2000 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is a pale garnet/ruby color. It has a very complex nose not a million miles away from well-endowed Pomerol: tar, plum, savory fruits and a touch of anis all with spine-tingling definition. The palate has firm tannins, superb acidity, quite masculine for a Barbaresco with an incredibly powerful, sumptuous finish with noticeable dry extract. Just a gorgeous wine, but I would not touch it for 3-4 years. Tasted December 2007.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2000 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is as it always has been; impeccably refined, nuanced and silky from start to finish. I have tasted (or drunk!) this wine at least a dozen times since it was first released. The bouquet shows the faintest signs of positive development while the fruit remains vibrant and beautifully articulated. I don’t see the 2000 Asili Riserva being one of the longest lived Red Labels, but it is unquestionably striking in its beauty. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2020. Bruno Giacosa has long been a fan of the 2000 vintage. I found his 2000s quite forward when I tasted them at the winery in November 2010, but far fresher when I opened the same bottles from my cellar in the US.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
2000 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Asili—This is much more open than when I last tasted it six months ago. The wine shows a fresh, lively red color. The nose is huge, with sensations of roses, freshly cut flowers, minerals… later notes of tar and licorice appear in the glass. The palate is sweet and lush, bursting with flavors of wild strawberries and raspberries with incredible freshness on the finish. I have now tasted this wine three times, and believe me it is a vivid wine of incredible detail…an ethereal beauty that no one who appreciates Piedmont wines will want to be without. 96+ points/drink now-, 12/04
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
As if it were possible, the 2000 Barbaresco Riserva Asili takes things to another level. This huge Barbaresco is concentrated, rich, and so expressive, showing massive amounts of jammy fruit, dark cherries, figs and asphalt, with a long, long finish. This outrageously decadent wine must be tasted to be believed. To be released in 2005. 96 points/drink 2007-2020.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Who am I to say no to another opportunity to taste the magnificent 2000 Barbaresco Riserva Asili? Aromatic on the nose with notes of flowers and crushed raspberries, the seductive 2000 Asili displays a dark translucent red color along with generous amounts of lush super-ripe red fruit, mineral and licorice notes in supremely elegant composition of profound overall balance. The Asili is irresistible right now but also appears to have the structure to age gracefully for at least 20 years. Readers should note that the red-label Riserva is the only Giacosa wine from Asili in vintage 2000. An Azienda Agricola Falletto di Bruno Giacosa bottling. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2020. Importer: Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Bruno Giacosa's 2000 Barbaresco Riserva Asili, which I tasted from magnum, was also magnificent. From bottle the 2000 is starting to fade a little, but in the big bottle it remains youthful, vibrant and impeccable. To be sure, the 2000 won't be terribly long-lived, but we caught it on a day when all the elements were singing. This was a great showing.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2000 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is at always has been; impeccably refined, nuanced and silky from start to finish. I have tasted (or drunk!) this wine at least a dozen times since it was first released. The bouquet shows the faintest signs of positive development while the fruit remains vibrant and beautifully articulated. I don't see the 2000 Asili Riserva being one of the longest lived Red Labels here, but it is unquestionably striking in its beauty.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Bruno Giacosa’s Barbaresco Asili Riserva was initially quite reticent, but then opened up nicely in the glass to reveal the full breadth of its inner perfume. Unfortunately this wasn’t the finest example of this wine I have ever had, but it was still outstanding.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Who am I to say no to another opportunity to taste the magnificent 2000 Barbaresco Riserva Asili? Aromatic on the nose with notes of flowers and crushed raspberries, the seductive 2000 Asili displays a dark translucent red color along with generous amounts of lush super-ripe red fruit, mineral and licorice notes in supremely elegant composition of profound overall balance. The Asili is irresistible right now but also appears to have the structure to age gracefully for at least 20 years. Readers should note that the red-label Riserva is the only Giacosa wine from Asili in vintage 2000. An Azienda Agricola Falletto di Bruno Giacosa bottling.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Good deep red. Knockout nose reminded me of great grand cru Burgundy : superripe red fruits, tobacco, minerals and smoke. As chewy as a solid yet utterly smooth, with extraordinary inner-mouth floral character and a sappy sweetness. Expands spectacularly toward the back, finishing with very suave, late-arriving tannins and compelling length. At once more perfumed, concentrated and structured than the Santo Stefano. I underestimated this great wine when I tasted it two years ago.
About the Producer
Bruno Giacosa, located in the south and south-west of Piemonte, has been performing well for three generations, thanks to the careful selection of high quality grapes and the emphasis on traditional winemaking techniques. The vineyard covers 44.7 acres (18 hectares) and is planted with Nebbiolo d'Alba, Barbera and Dolcetto varieties. The average age of the vines is 15 years and the planting density is between 4,500 and 5,000 vines per hectare, with an average yield of 4,800 litres per hectare. In terms of winemaking, the owner has a classic quote: "For us, the philosophy of traditionalism means making wines that are not only strongly local to the vine and the grape variety, but also maintain the various local terroirs. We have always made single-variety wines. Our winemaking techniques have been improved and we also make use of gentle pressing, crushing operations, advanced rotary systems and optimised cold and hot treatment techniques." For Garcosa, technology and tradition are not necessarily at odds with each other. In the winemaking process, the grapes are first fermented in steel containers and then transferred to wooden containers for ageing, which varies slightly depending on the type of wine. Finally, the wine is bottled without filtering. The main wines produced by the winery are the Barbaresco Garina, the Barbaresco Santo Stefano, the Barbaresco Asili, the Barbaresco Wabasha and the Barbaresco Asili. Barbaresco Rabaja, Barolo Falletto and Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto. Some of the more recent vintages are 2001, 2000, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1990, 1989, 1982 and 1978. These vintages are often relatively closed and uninteresting when first bottled, but after 10 years in the cellar, they all show an irresistible magic.
