注:这是我两年多以前在香港雅虎网发表的旧文,但 Giacosa 绝不会旧,所以在这里重新发表,希望引起国内朋友的注意。我可以大胆的说:连一瓶 Giacosa 都没有喝过的人不算喝过意大利酒。
原文在此:http://blog.yahoo.com/_W56THPMT6Z465CP2SZAN6G4UGI/articles/75946/index

图片来源﹕Decanter 杂志 2010 年 2 月号
我是个 Barolo 与 Barbaresco 痴,最令我着迷的是 Bruno Giacosa。
Giacosa 的酒我喝得比较多,每过一阵子便心有所思,但奇怪的是﹕谈别的酒容易,但你要是问我 Giacosa 好在那里,我实在没办法说清楚,也不知道从何说起。
可能是我太着迷了,一想起 Giacosa 的酒,我便想起 Giacosa 其人,马上学起 Giacosa 那种不苟言语的作风。
倒不如借他人的眼睛看看这位旷世奇才吧。
The Man
Sheldon Wasserman 与 Giacosa 的这段奇遇,在我脑子里重新播放了不知道多少遍。
When we had lunch with him in November 1984 and he served us from the half-down bottle of '78 Santo Stefano opened more than two weeks earlier (17 days, to be exact), we were both honored and pleased. This Barbaresco was a knock-out, in fact, for us it was the single finest wine produced in that very fine vintage. We told him so. Characteristically, Bruno did not smile at the compliment. He did acknowledge it, however, in his way; he poured us a generous refill.

图片来源﹕Sheldon Wasserman 著作 Italy's Noble Red Wines 第一版
Bruno Giacosa 是个木讷的人。有人说他是想把话留给他的酒去说,但我更相信他骨子里是个儒家的君子。像儒家的敬天地一样, Giacosa 大概对 Piedmont 那片天地也充满着敬畏吧?
Bruno Giacosa 有别于所有其它的 Piedmont winemakers ,首先是因为他超过半个世纪以来不停的周游 Piedmont 列村。从14岁开始,他便跟随他的祖父 Carlo 和父亲 Mario 踏遍 Barolo 与 Barbaresco 的每一条村庄,找寻最好的 nebbiolo 葡萄来酿酒。
我常常想﹕ Giacosa 有着 Mozart 的影子, Wolfgang 小小年纪便被父亲 Leopold 拉着他踏遍欧洲,他从各地摄取的养分早已成为他自己的音乐细胞,所以 Mozart 的音乐得以成为一种国际语言,而且在所有的古典曲式都留下了不朽的作品。我认为严格来说并没有具体的 Mozart 个人风格,原因是他唱的是整个时代的歌。
Bruno Giacosa 也是这么一回事﹕Giacosa 的酒流露的不光是他个人的风格;nebbiolo 在 Barolo 与 Barbaresco 的千万风采是透过他示之于世的 。借用今天的语言,他是这两个产区的代言人。
Robert Parker 曾说 Bruno Giacosa 是谜一样的人物﹕
There are some mysteries surrounding wine that cannot be explained … Bruno Giacosa's consistent brilliance might well be considered illogical given the fact that until recently most of his wines were made from grapes purchased from other people's vineyards.
或许 Parker 不太听 Mozart ?
如果我们把 Bruno Giacosa 当作诗经里《风》诗篇的无名作者,他的酒便好懂。《风》是从15个不同地区采集的地方歌谣。据 Barolo 专家 Ken Vastola 的统计, Bruno Giacosa 自1964 年始曾采用来自 9 个 Barolo 与 8 个 Barbaresco 葡萄园的葡萄酿过酒(见﹕http://www.finewinegeek.com/giacosa/),所以他采风的范围之广比诗经的《风》不遑多让。
His Barbarescos
在这17个葡萄园中,用得最多的有8个﹕在 Barolo 与 Barbaresco 各半。
与 Bruno Giacosa 齐名的葡萄园是 Barbaresco 的 Santo Stefano ,他的第一瓶单一葡萄园名酒1964年便是出自 Santo Stefano 。

我们尝过 1990 年的 Santo Stefano Riserva,我在名为 Barbaresco! 的网志里曾介绍过(见﹕http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!KluzXNGFHxnw1caKUQ.uq3gVlA--/article?mid=3119)。 Barbaresco 的酒一般以纤细为上品,而 Barolo 则以阳刚为特色。 Giacosa 的 Santo Stefano 却是最有 Barolo 味的 Barbaresco 。反过来,他的 Barolo 却在刚劲的底蕴上有一种阴柔的 Barbaresco 韵味。这种刚柔并济、轻快与哀愁的结合也是 Mozart 音乐的魅力所在!
Santo Stefano 是 Giacosa 买回来的葡萄,他酿造的酒比葡萄园主人 Castello di Neive 造的酒更好,这是公认的。

Gallina 是另一个靠买进葡萄而酿造的酒 ,自1974至1998年间出了起码11瓶,是比较轻柔的风格,但近年可能再买不到葡萄了,所以已经停产。我们喝过末班车1998,那花香扑鼻的风味,与 Santo Stefano 是个不可以更大的对比。

从八十年代开始,市场对 Barolo 与 Barbaresco 的需求越来越大,很多原来只种植葡萄的酒农也开始自己酿酒,Giacosa 被迫要购入自己的葡萄园,他的 Asili 葡萄园自 1990年开始酿酒, Rabaja 则在1996年开始。 Asili 飘逸, Rabaja 馥郁 ,同是 Barbaresco 之上品(见上述 Barbaresco!网志)。
His Barolos
Giacosa 的 Barolo 同样是经典!
他的第一瓶单一葡萄园 Barolo 是1967 年的 Collina Rionda Riserva (Serralunga d’Alba 村)。从1967到1993年的25年间, Giacosa 一共酿造了13次,其中 6 次是他认为特佳的年份,推出了 red label 的 Riserva (1967、1978、1979、1982、1989、1990)。Rionda 被公认是整个 Barolo 地区最好的几个葡萄园之一(有人认为是最好的一个),经过 Giacosa 细心的挑选然后酿造出来的酒,产量非常稀少(从1989 年的 2,838 瓶到 1978 年的 6,450瓶)。最令人心痛的是﹕ Giacosa 在1993 年后再买不到 Rionda 的葡萄,所以这几万瓶 Rionda Riserva 便像古董一样难求。The Ecco Guide to the Best Wines of Italy 的作者 Ian D'Agata 认为 Rionda Riserva 是意大利最伟大的酒﹕(见《意大利的酒中贵族》网志http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!KluzXNGFHxnw1caKUQ.uq3gVlA--/article?mid=2474 )
For my money, this is Italy's single greatest wine, not just one mesmerizing year like the Sassicaia '85 or the Case Basse Riserva' 83, but a never-ending string of successes, 1971, 1978, and 1982 foremost above them … you should never pass up an opportunity to taste one. The Vigna Rionda is the greatest of all Barolo vineyears, but Giacosa didn’t own it and now most of those grapes are being used by others --- unfortunately, as Giacosa is Italy's single greatest winemaker. The '71 is beyond words; the '78 is the best Barolo of that great vintage …

我们找到1982和1989年的 Rionda Riserva 来品试。1982年可能存放有毛病,不正常。幸好1989真的是名不虚传,我的笔记这样写﹕
Nose of rose, floral, menthol and herbs. Taste is enveloping whole palate with dark, sinewy fruit, incredibly complex --- a model of complexity. All the charms of Giacosa are here! A beautiful wine, sinewy, more masculine than Falletto. Robust tannins and a very complex fruit that is dark. 名不虚传. The wine is still very young, and can last another 10-20 years easily!

踫巧去年 Antonio Galloni 在 Robert Parker 的家里吃饭,一共开了16瓶意大利名酒, Galloni 认为 1989 Rionda Riserva 最好,给他打了个满分,他的评述如下﹕
The 1989 Barolo Riserva Collina Rionda, on the other hand, is quite possibly the finest wine Giacosa has ever made. Irresistibly sweet, sensual and perfumed, the wine emerged from the glass with endless layers of fruit framed by firm, yet silky tannins, showing the profound heights Barolo is capable of achieving. The 1989 Barolo Riserva Collina Rionda remains one of the benchmarks among the world's great wines.
因为好的葡萄越来越难买得到, Giacosa 终于在 1982年在 Falletto 买进他的第一个 Barolo 葡萄园。与 Rionda 一样,这个葡萄园也是位于 Serralunga d’Alba 村,可见他对这个村情有独钟。其实 Giacosa 早在七十年代已经开始在 Falletto 买人家种的葡萄,而从1982年起,Falletto 与当中位置最高、树龄最老的名为 Le Rocche del Falletto 的部分便成为 Giacosa 最主要的 Barolo 来源。后者并从 1997 年开始挂上 Le Rocche del Falletto 的名字另外入瓶。
从1982年到2004年的21年间,先后有17年出产两个葡萄园的 Barolo ,其中 9 年是 Red label Riserva 。找不到 Rionda ,只好找 Falletto 了。
因为 Falletto 比较容易找,从 1982年到2004年,我们先后喝过八、九个年份。与 Rionda 一样, Falletto 有着 Serralunga 村的宏大架构、丹宁重、慢熟的特性。除了次好比较早熟的年份,一般要等他十多二十年才见真章。

1982是 Giacosa 买进葡萄园后第一年的出品,我们喝过两瓶,状态比较好的一瓶已到了巅峰的状态,有很诱人的花香与泥土气味,阴柔、有深度的果味,圆润, nebbiolo 的甜入心脾的余韵久久不去。

1998 的 Le Rocche del Falletto 也精彩,是个比较早熟的年份。很湿润的泥土、花香气味,味道复杂,果味被薄薄的丹宁裹着;我常觉得 Serralunga 的一大特色是当酒开始成熟时,丹宁像轻纱一样,有一种搔痒的舒服感觉。

最精彩要算这瓶 1989 的 Falletto Riserva ,慢熟的年份刚步入成熟,有几分像 Rionda ,但轻一些,女性一些。 Rionda 的身段很 sinewy ,像 al dente 的意大利面; Falletto Riserva 像一盘很浓的蘑菇、松露汤,是有体积的而不是线状的。
Serralunga 应该是 Giacosa 的至爱,他的 Barolo 有七成出自这条村,我的推想是他喜欢酒有较好的结构。
Serralunga 之外, Giacosa 也曾经在 Castiglione Falletto 的两块葡萄园买葡萄酿过酒﹕ Villero 与 Le Rocche (有别于上述 Falletto 的另一个 Le Rocche)。前后二十多年来只出过三瓶 Riserva ,可见这并非 Giacosa 的首选。

我们与友人在同一个晚上试了 1990 Villero 与 1985 Le Rocche。
与 Falletto 相比,我觉得 Villero 与 Le Rocche 显得阴柔,我最爱的搔痒式的丹宁没有了,但这是很典型的 Castiglione Falletto 中庸风格, 其中 Villero 古典、匀称; Le Rocche 妩媚、馥郁;前者近 Serralunga ,后者近 La Morra 。 Brovia 酒庄的庄主 Giacinto Brovia 与 Alex Sanchez 说得好﹕ “If we characterize the wines of Castiglione Falletto, we would say that they are wines that exhibit a notable equilibrium between elegance and structure.” Castiglione Falletto 非黑亦非白,而是层层的灰色。
吾师吾友 Kevin 用模拟的手法谈这两瓶酒,我觉得非常有趣。他说 Le Rocche 可以比作 Burgundy 的 Clos Vougeot 、 Nuit-St-Georges 、 Gevrey-Chambertin 与 Morey-St-Denis ,他是从 Le Rocche 的 meaty, acidic, structure, minerality 与 body 得出这个结论的。不同的是,Burgundy 是 cherry 香气 , Barolo 是 floral 气味。精彩!
至于 Villero ,他说可以比作 Beaujolais 某些产区,或者是 Bordeaux 的 St Julien 。
Giacosa 找到了 Kevin 这位 Francophile 知音者,可见他的语言确是很国际性的。 Kevin 好像也认同我的 Mozart 观,他更认为是近 Bach 那种天籁之音的 Mozart 。
The Great Man
我开始时说我想谈 Giacosa 却不知道从那里开始,但现在却不知道如何结束!
让我引几段话总结这篇文章。
Giacosa 是个不苟言笑的人,但我终于找到他讲过这样的一番话﹕
Giacosa is nearly as famous for his modesty as he is for the surreal character of his wines. As his legend has grown over time, many writers have made the pilgrimage to the Giacosa cantina in Neive eager to learn the details behind his wines, only to receive the simple response that he is a traditionalist. Giacosa has always preferred to let his wines do the talking. “Winemaking involves a great many small decisions, each affecting the next. One can only hope to get them right, to capture what there was in the grapes to begin with” is what he told Gerald Asher in the early '90s; this was about as far as he would go at the time in articulating his methods.
(见﹕http://www.rarewineco.com/html/feat/b-giac.htm)
Sheldon Wasserman 这样评价 Giacosa :
Bruno Giacosa is without question one of Italy's --- make that the world's --- finest winemakers. A man of few words but eloquent talent, Giacosa has the ability to bring out a richness of flavor and an intensity of character in his wines, to produce wines of meditation. The man is an artist.
Nicolas Belfrage 如此说﹕
The common factor between the top producers of Barolo and Barbaresco, given that we speak of individuals of highly developed and utterly distinctive personality, is consistency. Their bottles are never mediocre, sometimes sensational. In my experience, no one's Nebbiolos have been more consistently wonderful over such a long period than those of this morose, introspective genius of Neive.
很多人不知道 Robert Parker 也对 Giacosa 的 Barolo 与 Barbaresco 赞不绝口。他曾经说﹕
If I said his top Barbarescos and Barolos can rival a great vintage of Petrus for richness and complexity, few, I suspect, would believe it. However, his wines are on that level … if I were restricted to only one bottle of Italian wine, it would be one of the great Babarescos or Barolos from Bruno Giacosa.
正因为这个原因,他在 The World's Greatest Wine Estates 中介绍 Giacosa 时,他的结语是这样写的﹕
Perhaps the greatest compliment I could confer on Bruno Giacosa is that there are no wines in the world I buy without tasting first, except for those of one producer --- the Professor of Nebbiolo.
我的意见是﹕如果你这一辈子都不买 Bruno Giacosa 的酒,起码请你试一口 “one of the great Babarescos or Barolos from Bruno Giacosa”: a Riserva version of Santo Stefano, Falletto or better still, Rionda.