BRAND HIGHLIGHT

Bruno Giacosa

Bruno Giacosa is, no doubt, one of the most remarkable winemakers in not only Italy, but of our time. Whereas most winemakers decided to perfect either the Barolo or Barbaresco, Giacosa wrangled both, producing a consistent and delectable collection of wines over the course of his long career.

Born in Neive in 1929, Bruno spent much of his early childhood in the cellars, already starting work at 13 and becoming a full-time employee at 15. He thus got his skills not from a course in enology school, but rather just by learning, experiencing and understanding both the fruit and the cellar from a very young age, with technique passed down from his grandfather.

This expertise and taste for perfection then led to the iconic Giacosa Red Labels. He would only make a few within a decade— his standards for a perfect wine so high, he rarely gave the bottles the honour of wearing the red label. And despite this, many have commented that the white label wines alone were so good, they were surprised Giacosa had not given it a red label. Perhaps it truly takes a connoisseur as great as Giacosa to understand.

The winemaking industry was devastated by Giacosa's death in 2018, as it was the loss of an icon. However, his daughter, Bruna, and his longtime protege, Dante Scaglione, continue to work together to continue the legacy that her father had left behind.