Bruno Giacosa is one of the most legendary figures in the history of Italian wine, a Piedmontese winemaker whose Barolo and Barbaresco from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s are considered among the finest Italian red wines of the twentieth century. Working from his base in Neive in the Langhe, Giacosa produced wines of extraordinary concentration, tannin and longevity from the most celebrated crus in both appellations, earning a following among Italian wine collectors worldwide that has never diminished. His sparkling wine represents a distinctive and unusual expression of this tradition: a Pinot Nero Extra Brut produced using the traditional method, reflecting the influence of Burgundy’s champagne-adjacent sparkling wine culture within a decidedly Piedmontese context.

The Bruno Giacosa Spumante Extra Brut is produced from Pinot Nero vines farmed in the Langhe, and its production follows the classical méthode traditionnelle, with secondary fermentation in bottle and extended lees ageing. The 2017 vintage in Piedmont was defined by a hot and drought-stressed growing season that produced wines of concentrated fruit and generous aromatics across both Barolo and Barbaresco, with the winery selecting only the finest Pinot Nero fruit for the sparkling production. As an Extra Brut, the wine contains minimal dosage, placing the emphasis on the purity of the base wine and the complexity developed during lees contact rather than on any residual sweetness.

Bruno Giacosa was awarded the award of Cavaliere del Lavoro, Italy’s highest civilian honour for business achievement, in recognition of his contribution to the culture and economy of Italian wine. He passed away in January 2023 at the age of 83, leaving behind a legacy that encompasses some of the most celebrated Italian wines of the post-war period. The Spumante Extra Brut occupies a unique position within that legacy as a wine that speaks to the same meticulous attention to raw material and restrained winemaking philosophy that governs the red wine programme, translated into the very different idiom of sparkling wine production.

Delicate pale gold with persistent fine bubbles and aromas of brioche, white cherry, citrus zest, toasted hazelnuts and a mineral thread from the extended lees ageing. The palate is crisp and precise with bone-dry acidity, excellent concentration for a sparkling wine and a long, complex finish that reflects both the quality of the Pinot Nero base and the discipline of the winemaking approach. Drink from 2024 through 2030.