The 2010 Dolcetto d’Alba Sorano, from purchased fruit, is easily the most successful of Giacosa’s 2010 Dolcetti. Blueberries, licorice, tar and crushed rocks are some of the nuances that come together in this varietally expressive, true to type Dolcetto. Hints of violets and licorice linger on the close. Treiso has long been considered a superior village for Dolcetto, and this bottling shows why. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2015. I suppose it was bound to happen. Few wineries have been through as much stress in the last few years as Giacosa, and the wines have finally begun to show some cracks. Although he is doing better today, Bruno Giacosa’s health issues and subsequent recovery put a big strain on the winery. The departure of long-time oenologist Dante Scaglione in 2008 was another blow. Scaglione has since returned to the winery as a consultant, which is an encouraging development. Quite simply, the 2008 Barbareschi are the weakest wines I have ever tasted from Bruno Giacosa. The fact that some of Giacosa’s recent releases from his negociant operation are stronger than the wines made from estate fruit suggests some of the issues may be in the vineyards. Regardless, there is no other way to view these wines than as major disappointments. In November I will host my annual White Truffle Charity Dinner to benefit The Mt. Sinai Hospital. On that night I will open my last remaining bottles of Giacosa’s 1964 Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano and 1967 Barbaresco Riserva Asili (among other rarities) and raise a toast to the towering genius of Neive, with the sincerest wish that these new releases, and the 2008 Barbareschi in particular, represent what will ultimately be viewed as a small blemish on an otherwise extraordinary career.A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620. As of January 1, 2012, Giacosa’s new US importer will be Folio Fine Wine Partners, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 256-2700

The 2009 Dolcetto d’Alba Sorano shows some of the nuances this grape can achieve when grown in a very favorable site. Menthol, spices, licorice and dark berries are woven together in a sensual, soft style that is highly appealing. The Sorano shows terrific polish and balance. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2014. These entry-level releases from Bruno Giacosa are well-made but frankly offer little to get truly excited about. Perhaps it is the preponderance of 2008s in this lineup, but I would like to think Giacosa could coax a little more magic from his smaller wines. On a more positive note, a recent comprehensive tasting of Giacosa’s Baroli and Barbareschi found the wines in great shape. I will report on that tasting on www.erobertparker.com For now, let me just say that the 2004s are living up to my lofty expectations. The 2003s are surprisingly fresh, while the 2005s show remarkable balance and classiness. Giacosa’s 2007 Barbareschi were reviewed in Issue 185. Other recent additions to our database include complete notes on the 1989s and 1990s, plus a nearly complete vertical of the icon Barolo Vigna Rionda going back to 1967.A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

The 2008 Dolcetto d’Alba Sorano is a very pretty, floral Dolcetto with attractive dark fruit, spices and menthol. This is an especially perfumed, complex Dolcetto from a site in Treiso that is clearly capable of noteworthy wines. The integrity and harmony in the fruit are remarkable in this very challenging year. A round, harmonious finish rounds out this delicious red. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012. 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

The 2007 Dolcetto d’Alba Sorano, from a vineyard in Treiso, is a perfumed, delicate wine. It offers ripe red fruit, flowers and cedar in an easy-going style. The Sorano bottling is not imported into the US but should be available elsewhere. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2011. My May visit with Bruno Giacosa was significant in many ways. It was the first time in many years that the recently departed, long-time oenologist wasn’t on hand to lead the tasting. At the same time, Giacosa appeared to be in higher spirits than I have witnessed in previous recent visits. Oftentimes change can be invigorating, and I certainly hope that will be the case here. New oenologist Giorgio Lavagna has his work cut out for him, but I can only wish him the very best. As for the wines, we spent several hours surveying all the 2005s, 2006s and 2007s from cask, after which we re-visited several of the 2004s from bottle. The 2004s confirmed their stature as masterpieces, yet Giacosa fans will delight at the prospect of a number of potentially outstanding wines in the pipeline. The 2005 Barbarescos have always shown tons of harmony and elegance from cask, so I was happy to find the wines just as outstanding from bottle. Although there are no Red Label Riservas from Giacosa in 2005, the wines display remarkable quality across the board. The rest of the line-up is solid as well.A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620