<a target="_blank" href="http://www.delposto.com">Del Posto Ristorante</a>

85 10th Ave,

New York, NY 10011

tel (212) 497-8090

March, 2006

A dinner at the newly opened Del Posto, the latest
restaurant from the Lidia and Joe Bastianch/Mario Batali team, provided a great
opportunity to enjoy several impeccable bottles from Giacomo Conterno. The
dining room is dramatic and chic, with a big sweeping staircase that leads to
the second floor. I especially enjoyed the comfortable spacing between tables which
allowed for quiet conversation, something that is quite a luxury in New York.
The tasting menu was delicious and paired beautifully with the wines. Service
of both food and wines was first-rate.

We started with the 1967
Barolo. A dark red, it revealed a brooding nose followed by layers of dark
fruit, cocoa, minerals and iron that opened in the glass in a powerful, deeply
structured expression of nebbiolo. It was a wine I came back to often
throughout the evening, as it offered an immensely satisfying drinking
experience. The label on this bottle was pristine, proving that provenance is
everything. Well-stored bottles should drink well for at least another decade.
A great effort. Anticipated maturity 2006-2016. The 1971 Barolo displayed the pedigree of the superior vintage in its
more complex tarry, earthy aromas and potent personality. Also deeply colored,
it boasted an incredible combination of dark fruit, notable structure and an
elegant, ethereal finish, giving the impression of being more multi-dimensional
and complete than the 1967, which was no easy feat. I have enjoyed several
bottles of this wine recently and those that have been stored in cold cellars
will give the impression of not having peaked. It is a majestic Barolo to drink
today and over the next decade, perhaps longer. Anticipated maturity:
2006-2016. This bottle of the 1985
Barolo Cascina Francia was remarkable for its extraordinary nose, masses of
expressive, ripe dark fruit and irresistibly seductive personality. Soft and
caressing on the palate, it offered notable concentration, outstanding length
and great overall balance. Although the heat of the vintage was felt in the
sweetness of the fruit as well as on the finish, this was an incredibly
delicious Barolo and the best bottle of Conterno's 1985 Cascina Francia I have
had. It is mature and ready to drink, yet well-stored bottles will provide peak
drinking for at least another 5-7 years even if the upside from further
cellaring is likely to be limited. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2011. The
deeply-colored 1988 Barolo Riserva
Monfortino opened with a big, powerful nose showing scorched earth and
leather nuances. It offered plenty of sweet prune and plum fruit with excellent
persistence and richness on the palate. The presence of tertiary aromas and
flavors suggest this wine has entered the early part of its maturity, and the
1988 is one of my favorite 'recent' vintages for current drinking. Given that
the best vintages of Monfortino can age for 40+ years, it doesn't appear to be
a wine that will be especially long-lived. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2016+?
Could there be a more perfect way to end the evening than with a spectacular
bottle of the 1990 Barolo Riserva
Monfortino? This bottle was utterly captivating, with aromas of cocoa,
leather and menthol that melded seamlessly onto the palate where the wine
showed multiple layers of fruit, with a profound expansiveness that is hard to
fully describe with mere words. A flashy and opulent Monfortino that is nearly
impossible to resist today, it came across as incredibly youthful and promises
to offer a transcendental drinking experience for those fortunate enough to own
it. I have always had a weak spot for the 1990 Monfortino, perhaps because it
was my first Monfortino. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2030.

Food:

Porcini mushroom salad with shaved fennel

Chestnut tortelli

Risotto

Braised veal

Cotechino (stuffed pig's foot) with lentils

Cheese selection

Wine:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 

<table>
 <tbody><tr>
 <td>
 1967
 </td>
 <td>
 Giacomo Conterno Barolo
 </td>
 <td>
 94
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1971
 </td>
 <td>
 Giacomo Conterno Barolo
 </td>
 <td>
 95
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1985
 </td>
 <td>
 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia
 </td>
 <td>
 95
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1988
 </td>
 <td>
 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino
 </td>
 <td>
 94
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1990
 </td>
 <td>
 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino
 </td>
 <td>
 97</td></tr></tbody></table>

--Antonio Galloni

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