2005 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Albesani Vigna Santo Stefano
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Tasting notes
What a thrill it is to drink Bruno Giacosa’s 2005 Barbaresco Santo Stefano di Neive. The 2005 has been consistently brilliant since I first tasted it over a dozen years ago, but I confess that I had forgotten just how captivating the 2005 is. The word ‘classic’ is over-used, but that is exactly what the 2005 is. Classic. Salivating acids, translucent Nebbiolo fruit, beams of tannin and mid-weight structure are the signatures of a pedigreed Barbaresco that is just captivating. The 2005 didn’t get much attention on release. Readers lucky enough to own the 2005 Santo Stefano are in for a real treat. It’s a wine that captures Giacosa and longtime winemaker Dante Scaglione at their very best. In many ways, 2005 is the last great classic Giacosa vintage. The 2007s were good, but in a different style. Since then the wines have been variable, sometimes good, sometimes less than good, and sometimes better than good. But never again moving, like this.
Critic scores
The Wine Advocate
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
One of the highlights of the first night of this vertical, the 2005 Barbaresco Santo Stefano is yet another poignant reminder of how strong this vintage can be. Bright, focused and energetic, the 2005 is wonderfully alive in the glass, with plenty of cranberry, plum, red cherry and mint flavors. Today, it is the 2005’s sense of energy that places it among the wines of the night.
From the moment it is first opened, Giacosa's 2005 Barbaresco Santo Stefano is utterly magical. Sweet rose petals, mint, bright red cherry and spice notes make a strong first impression. The flavors are incredibly precise and sculpted. Yet it is the wine's exceptional balance that is most impressive. That, with the precision that Nebbiolo reaches in Giacosa's hands makes this a captivating wine. At ten-plus years of age, the 2005 retains gorgeous freshness and shows none of the burliness and overall rusticity that marks so many wines of the vintage.
We started with a flight of Barbareschi from the Santo Stefano vineyard in Neive. This is the one single-vineyard wine Giacosa makes from purchased fruit. Santo Stefano faces due south and sits at about 250 meters above sea level. The wines are usually quite rich within the context of Barbaresco. I will not be surprised if the 2005 Barbaresco Santo Stefano ends up exceeding expectations. It was gorgeous on this night; fresh, vibrant and full of life.
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.