2003 Barbaresco Asili
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Tasting notes
Things kicked up several notches with a flight of Barbareschis from the famed Asili vineyard. Asili is in the village of Barbaresco, where the wines are generally more feminine than in Neive. The best wines from this site have great aromatics and fine, silky tannins. Giacosa’s 2003 Barbaresco Asili enjoyed a surprisingly strong showing. It was impressive, powerful and youthful.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
(white label; Giacosa sold off his other 2003 Barbarescos) Medium red. Very ripe aromas and flavors of strawberry liqueur and smoke. Surprisingly sappy and fresh, with a sexy sweetness leavened by lively acidity. There's a liqueur-like quality to this 2003 along with a creamy richness of texture. Features a rising, fresh finish rare for the vintage and fine, granular, building tannins. This is 15% alcohol, from fruit picked on September 23.
The just-bottled 2003 Barbaresco Asili is the only Barbaresco the ultra-perfectionist Bruno Giacosa has decided to release in this difficult vintage and it shows why Giacosa, along with Angelo Gaja, is in a class of his own when it comes to Barbaresco. Medium-red in color, it offers an expressive nose along with delicate nuances of super-ripe red fruits, macerated cherries and alcohol. Made in an atypically lush style, yet balanced by a classic sense of structure and proportion, this medium to full-bodied Barbaresco is one of the highlights of the vintage.
The just-bottled 2003 Barbaresco Asili is the only Barbaresco the ultra-perfectionist Bruno Giacosa has decided to release in this difficult vintage and it shows why Giacosa, along with Angelo Gaja, is in a class of his own when it comes to Barbaresco. Medium-red in color, it offers an expressive nose along with delicate nuances of super-ripe red fruits, macerated cherries and alcohol. Made in an atypically lush style, yet balanced by a classic sense of structure and proportion, this medium to full-bodied Barbaresco is one of the highlights of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018. Importer: Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620
About the producer
Bruno Giacosa – now run by daughter Bruna – is a cult Nebbiolo producer, that has consistently made some of the best single-vineyard Barbaresco and Barolo from the 1960s onwards. The“red-label” Riservas are some of the finest and most collectable wines in Italy.