1988 Barbaresco Santo Stefano Riserva
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Tasting notes
Now, after many years of trying and countless poor/flawed bottles, I can finally say I have had what is likely a representative bottle of Giacosa’s 1988 Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano. Lithe and ethereal on the palate, the 1988 is now fully mature, but also has just enough freshness to last for another few years if stored in a perfect cellar. Scents of dried cherry, menthol, worn-in leather, molasses and tobacco shape the lilting finish. Every bottle of the 1988 I have ever tasted in the US has been flawed. This bottle, from a European cellar, is at least sound. The 1988 is holding onto the last vestiges of life. It is also a rare miss from Bruno Giacosa in a decade that yielded so many truly memorable wines.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Giacosa's 1988 Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano is a wine famously plagued by huge amounts of bottle variation, but this was as good an example as I have ever tasted. The next wine was one of Giacosa's all-time masterpieces, but a rare wine few have had the privilege to experience.
An unforgettable flight of Bruno Giacosa's Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano followed . These wines were nothing short of breathtaking for their complexity, poise and overall balance. These wines delivered a combination of intellectual stimulation and sheer pleasure that is hard to fully describe, but that places them among the finest wines I have ever tasted. Needless to say, comparing four great vintages from 1982-1990 was a rare opportunity. 1988 Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano – Medium faded red. The 1988 is the most advanced of these Santo Stefanos. It is fully mature, with notes of leather, tobacco, beef bouillon, prunes and spices on a medium-bodied frame with soft tannins and excellent length. There appears to be little upside in cellaring bottles any further and I would choose to drink my remaining bottles within the next few years. A second recent bottle appeared to be at a similar stage of its evolution.
The 1988 Barbaresco-Santo Stefano is a deep ruby-colored, fragrant wine with intense aromas of cedar, cherry jam, tobacco, and herbs. Full-bodied and expansive, with layers of sweet fruit, this wine offers immediate appeal, but it promises to evolve gracefully for 10-20 years. The rich, thick fruit nearly obscures the tannin. It is a monument to the heights Nebbiolo can achieve! It is refreshing that Bruno Giacosa, the quiet and dignified winemaking genius of Neive, is the least promotion-conscious winemaker in Italy. Justifiably, he prefers to let his wines do the talking for him. Importer: Vinifera Imports, Ronkonkoma, NY.
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.