2007 Barbaresco Asili D.O.C.G.
By Bruno Giacosa
2007 Barbaresco Asili D.O.C.G. from Bruno Giacosa, Italy
Giving voice to yet another unique creation in the vast amphitheatre of Italian wines, the 2007 Barbaresco Asili D.O.C.G. from Bruno Giacosa demonstrates a compellingly distinct essence of its vintage like no other.
Revelling in the dance of finesse and power
Bruno Giacosa's consistent excellence combined with laudable referencing of the virtues of Italy have given birth to an investment-worthy gem that stands proudly in the domain of fine wines. Skilfully marrying power and finesse, this particular vintage paints evocative notes onto the wine panorama, making it an artful choice for enthusiasts.
Fleshed out with ample Nebbiolo variety, the 2007 Barbaresco Asili D.O.C.G’s dynamic flavour arsenal springs forth with every sip as it gradually unfolds its masterful inheritance. A golden opportunity for connoisseurs to seek out and invest in.
A harvest blessed by climatic harmony
The 2007 growing season offers an explanation for the magnificence that is bottled into each edition of this wine. The harmonious climatic conditions of that year bestowed upon Italy a perfect stage for grapes to attain optimum levels of ripeness, ushering forth aromatic complexity and nuanced depth.
Moving beyond generic attributes to voice the live-wire quality specific to the 2007 vintage; Barbaresco Asili D.O.C.G. exhibits a luscious collage of ripe plum, wild berry accentuated by trailing nuances of earthy undertones and scented violet, all gracefully synchronized by bracing acidity and pliant tannins.
This blend embodies an ethereal balance of fruit concentration and structural finesse. It’s the very melody that echoes through each tasting, transforming the experience of engaging with this Barbaresco into a captivating dialogue for investors and enthusiasts alike.
The charm of worthy wine investments
In essence, the 2007 Barbaresco Asili D.O.C.G. from Bruno Giacosa is an ode to the Italian vigneron's fabular touch and the special chapter of its harvest. It dramatically stands apart as a fine testament to Italy's vinicultural prowess. Indisputably a respectful nod to the year it was born, this Barbaresco articulates the true spirit of its birthplace while embracing investors with its promise of value growth, intertwining flavourful sophistication with wise wine investment.
Market price (USD)
$3,590.00
12x75cl
Highest score
94
POP score
210
Scores and tasting notes
The 2007 Barbaresco Asili is a striking, elegant wine. Sweet roses, minerals, flowers, menthol and minerals emerge from this firm yet intensely perfumed Barbaresco. The wine reveals gorgeous weight and textural richness in a firm style that requires patience. Beginning with the 2007 vintage, the vineyards delimitations in Barbaresco have been re-drawn. As a result, Giacosa’s parcel in Rabaja is now considered part of Asili, which means there will be no more Barbaresco Rabaja from Bruno Giacosa after 2005. In 2007, the white label Asili is roughly 80% juice from the old ‘Rabaja’ parcel and 20% Asili from the vines Giacosa has always used for his Asili. Curiously, the 2007 Asili is a very soft wine, considering it is made mostly from vines that informed such majestic Rabajas as the 2001 and 2004. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032. Bruno Giacosa created quite a stir when he announced this spring that he would not bottle any of his 2006 Barolos and Barbarescos. While I wasn’t surprised he would pass on bottling a few wines – as early as spring 2007 Giacosa did not present the 2006 Barbaresco Santo Stefano and Barolo Croera in my annual barrel tastings – the decision to skip an entire vintage prompted a back and forth volley of polemics that is such an integral part of the Italian way of life. Clearly Giacosa had a difficult emotional relationship with these wines from the start, as they were made in the year he suffered a stroke and was absent from the winery for long periods of time. Perhaps Giacosa simply wanted to cancel the entire year from his memory. Or maybe it is a case where the vintage quality in Giacosa’s vineyards and later of the wines themselves in the cellar did not live up to his exacting standards. Given the emotional weight attached to this year I am not sure anyone – even Giacosa himself – will fully understand all of the circumstances behind the decision not to bottle the wines. After having tasted Giacosa’s 2006 Barolos and Barbarescos on numerous occasions I am convinced he has bottled lesser wines in the past. It is important to remember that virtually all of Piedmont’s top estates are essentially small, family-run wineries, and in that regard Giacosa is no exception. What seems pretty obvious at this point is that under normal circumstances without emotional duress, Giacosa and his team would have been better equipped to deal with the challenges of the harvest. Giacosa’s decision is more a reflection of the estate’s inability to deal with a difficult harvest (for understandable reasons) rather than a commentary on the intrinsic quality of the vintage itself. Giacosa may also have been prompted to skip an average year for his wines based on the exceptional juice he put into the bottle in the surrounding 2004, 2005 and 2007 vintages. Sadly, prices for the top bottles – the Red Label Barolo and Barbaresco Riservas in particular – continue to climb as collectors throughout the world recognize the quality of the wines. Still, at the risk of sounding out of touch with today’s economic environment, it is pretty clear that Giacosa’s finest wines remain relatively well-priced within the context of the world finest and most collectible wines. A recent bottle of the 1989 Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano stood shoulder to shoulder with the 1989 Haut-Brion and Rousseau’s 1990 Chambertin....in fact, it may have even surpassed those icons! A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620
Antonio Galloni - The Wine Advocate, 30 October 2009