In 1891, in Asti, a young Tuscan pastry chef named Giulio Cocchi opened a distillery next to the medieval Baptistery of San Pietro. He could not have imagined that this decision would give rise to one of the most recognizable brands in the world of aromatic wines and quality sparkling wines. One hundred and thirty-five years later, the Cocchi name evokes an unmistakable identity, recognizable in every glass of Vermouth di Torino, Barolo Chinato, Americano, or Alta Langa DOCG. An identity that has never been content to preserve the past, but has always embraced contemporaneity and innovation.

INNOVATORS BY NATURE

Giulio Cocchi was more than a talented craftsman: he was a visionary. He created the original recipes that still form the foundation of production, and also made pioneering choices for his time: patents for new machinery, a facility to process citrus fruits—key ingredients of his formulas—and a network of tasting branches that extended well beyond the Asti province.
He was the first to bring Americano Bianco and Barolo Chinato beyond domestic use, transforming them into products for broader markets—a distribution and communication model that we would today simply call modern.
This spirit continues to guide the company: in safeguarding Barolo Chinato, in revitalizing Vermouth di Torino as a category of excellence, and in creating and promoting the Piedmontese traditional method sparkling wine, Alta Langa DOCG. Quality—in the vineyard, in the cellar, in the selection of botanicals—remains the company’s defining focus.

HOSPITALITY IN THE DNA

Cocchi was born with a bar. Even before large-scale production, it was the tasting counter where vermouth and sparkling wines won public favor. In the 1910s and 1920s, branches grew to twelve, some still operating today.

The Bar Cocchi in Asti, in Piazza Alfieri, has remained over time what it was from the start: a lounge, a meeting place, a space where quality is experienced firsthand. This vocation for hospitality makes the horeca world a natural partner.

TWO FAMILIES, ONE VISION

Cocchi has always been a family business. Giulio was supported by his wife Giuseppina and their children, including Federico, who spearheaded the brand’s international expansion. In the 1970s, Adria, Federico’s daughter, passed the baton to Piero Bava.

Since then, three generations of the Bava family have led Cocchi with the same energy. Wine producers in Monferrato since the 1600s, the Bavas brought a modern vision without breaking the link with tradition: the result is a cult brand on the international stage, rooted locally yet projected globally. With Piero Bava and his three sons—Roberto, Giulio, and Paolo—and the grandchildren Francesca, Giorgio, and Andrea, new chapters continue to be written in Cocchi’s story year after year.

COCCHI AND PIEDMONT

Since 1891, Asti and Piedmont have been far more than a backdrop: they are the origin of everything. Grapes, botanicals, drinking style, even the aesthetic of the products—every production choice reflects the identity of this land. Cocchi is a proud ambassador of it worldwide.

COCCHI AND THE WORLD

Internationalization began early and boldly: in 1935 Federico Cocchi opened a Bar Cocchi in Asmara, followed by Caracas with Casa Cocchi de Venezuela, and then New York in the 1950s, with the first vermouths shipped overseas to Italian emigrants and emerging markets of the New World. Today, Cocchi is present in over 70 countries, in the finest wine shops, restaurants, and cocktail bars on every continent. A presence built over time, with elegance and distinction.

ONLY WINE-BASED PRODUCTS

The choice has always been clear and never in doubt: only wine-based products. Vermouths and aromatized wines in historic recipes—Barolo Chinato, Americano Bianco and Rosa, Storico Vermouth di Torino, Vermouth di Torino Dry, Vermouth Amaro DopoTeatro—alongside Piedmontese sparkling wines, including the historic traditional method Alta Langa DOCG. A coherent production line that highlights oenological and botanical expertise accumulated over more than a century.

135TH ANNIVERSARY SEAL

On the occasion of the 135th anniversary, Cocchi Vermouth labels will feature a commemorative seal.

Barolo Chinato tipo Esportazione

To celebrate its 135th anniversary, Giulio Cocchi presents a limited edition of a special “Export-Style Barolo Chinato.”

Produced continuously since the company’s early years, Barolo Chinato has accompanied the history and evolution of Giulio Cocchi. It has always been one of the company’s most iconic products. Early 20th-century tasting branches across Piedmont and Liguria often carried names inspired by it: “Barolino Cocchi,” “Bar Barolino,” and Barolo Chinato always appeared among the main products on signage, postcards, and letterhead.
It embodies elegance and taste, allowing it to remain timeless. Labels over the years have preserved all defining elements from the beginning, highlighting the highest honors received by the wine and emphasizing the role of cinchona among the spices, ensuring the wine’s distinctive recognition.

This special “Export-Style Barolo Chinato” is produced in a limited series of only 1,891 numbered bottles. It celebrates this long and successful tradition, following Giulio Cocchi’s original recipe designed for extended aging and ideal preservation for export, as in the 20th century when Cocchi wines reached distant destinations such as the United States, South America, Colonial Africa, and Australia.

SINGLE VINEYARD – SINGLE VINTAGE – SINGLE CASK

The base wine, Barolo DOCG, is particularly rich and full-bodied: entirely from the 2021 harvest from the heart of Langa, a single vineyard in the Scarrone cru in Castiglione Falletto, owned by the Bava family, aged in a single cask.

Botanicals include rhubarb, gentian flowers, bay leaves, coriander, cardamom, sweet and bitter orange peel.

Alcohol content: 18°.

The label reproduces the historic hand-drawn design, printed using period techniques.

TASTING NOTES: Aromas open with rich, woody notes of cinchona, dried tobacco leaves, and spices, followed by dried Barolo rose and cocoa beans. On the palate, delicate sweetness gives way to the deep complexity of the single-cru Barolo DOCG. Dark berries, violets, and velvety tannins mingle with cardamom, licorice, and bitter orange peel. The finish reveals toasted wood, cloves, and eucalyptus, leaving a long aftertaste of dried botanicals and dark chocolate.