2012 Barolo Ginestra Vigna Sorì Ginestra

Conterno-Fantino's 2012 Barolos are precise, finessed wines built on freshness more than power, which makes them unusually accessible relative to the norm here. The 2012s spent 12-14 days on the skins followed by a year in French oak barriques and the second year in a combination of barrique and cask. Going forward, only the Mosconi and the new Barolo Castelletto, which makes its debut in 2013, are partly aged in cask, while the two stalwarts, Vigna del Gris and Sorì Ginestra will see only small French oak. Since 2009, Conterno-Fantino has bottled in April, rather than the summer, which is more typical. In practical terms, that means these wines had spent more time in bottle than most 2012 Barolos at the time of my tastings. At times, I had the impression the 2012s were already beginning to shut down, so I will not be surprised if the wines are even more expressive once they fully bounce back from bottling.