Carlo Giacosa (Piedmont, Italy)

The Giacosa family’s Barbaresco adventure is a vibrant tale of passion, perseverance and generational pride – with 4 generations of winemakers united by one goal: to let Nebbiolo shine.

They have been reliable producers of high-quality Barbaresco, and their smaller cousins (basic Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Pinot Nero) since decades. The winery is located in the prestigious Novello area near the main Barbaresco town, surrounded by beautiful vineyards and prestigious wineries such as Gaja (see picture below).

Here is a brief history of this charming family-owned winery:

1955 – Humble Beginnings: on their little farm in Barbaresco, the Giacosa family made wine for their own consumption and friends, selling the rest in demijohns. It was pure, honest work.

Late 1950s – Cooperative Pioneer: Donato Giacosa teamed up with Don Fiorino Marengo and 19 local growers to found the Cooperativa Produttori di Barbaresco. Their pioneering spirit turned it into one of the world’s most respected cooperatives.

1958-59 – Duty Calls and a New Dream: Carlo Giacosa was bound for an air-force career until his brother’s illness brought him back to the vineyards. He married Carla, spent two formative years as a cellarman at the cooperative, and began building the family’s own winery.

1964-67 – Owning the Label: The Giacosas stopped selling Nebbiolo to the co-op and bottled their first Barbaresco under their own name. International acclaim followed swiftly. After the methanol scare of the mid-1980s, Carlo led the charge toward authenticity: greener harvests, pure varietal expression and the rise of single-vineyard (cru) bottlings.

1996-97 – Vineyard Mastery: Carlo fine-tuned green harvesting—and the brilliant 1997 vintage proved him right. It was also the year Darko joined the team and soon became “one of the family.” We visited the winery first time in 1996!

2006 – A Daughter’s Legacy: Maria Grazia officially took the helm, blending time-tested traditions with fresh energy. Her stewardship is a bridge to tomorrow.

2012-14 – Fourth Generation Rises: Luca, fresh from dental-tech studies, answered the family call and plunged into winemaking, eager to carry Carlo’s teachings forward.

Personal Note: we’ve been visiting Giacosa regularly since 1997 - and here’s a little brag: their vineyards border the legendary Gaja estate. Great neighbours, even greater Barbaresco!