2005 Barolo Francia

Roberto Conterno has built an impressive empire in the 20 or so years that he has been fully in charge of his family’s winery. I remember the days when it was a one-man show. Back then, Conterno pretty much did it all himself, including answering the phone. Making great wine is hard enough, but Conterno has proven to be equally skilled at the entrepreneurial side of running a business that continues to grow with the acquisition of vineyards, the purchase of Nervi winery in Gattinara and peripheral businesses in glassware and automated tractors for viticulture. During my November visit, much of the local buzz centered on Conterno’s Belsit in Langa restaurant, the new incarnation of Ristorante Bovio, which was in a sort of soft opening at the time. I did have a very good meal there, but it’s too early in the restaurant’s life to be able to offer a reliable assessment. One thing that did strike me, though, was Conterno’s desire to champion the wines of many producers, not just his own, at far more accessible prices than what has become the norm at many other restaurants in the region. Hopefully that will prove to be a sustainable business model.

As for the wines, readers will find two magnificent vintages in 2021 and 2020. I imagine these Barolos will go neck-and-neck over the coming years and decades. The 2021s are a bit more vibrant and focused, while the 2020s are a touch more open, without veering into excessive opulence. Simply put, Conterno has very few peers when it comes to exceptionally high quality and consistency.

Roberto Conterno has built an impressive empire in the 20 or so years that he has been fully in charge of his family’s winery. I remember the days when it was a one-man show. Back then, Conterno pretty much did it all himself, including answering the phone. Making great wine is hard enough, but Conterno has proven to be equally skilled at the entrepreneurial side of running a business that continues to grow with the acquisition of vineyards, the purchase of Nervi winery in Gattinara and peripheral businesses in glassware and automated tractors for viticulture. During my November visit, much of the local buzz centered on Conterno’s Belsit in Langa restaurant, the new incarnation of Ristorante Bovio, which was in a sort of soft opening at the time. I did have a very good meal there, but it’s too early in the restaurant’s life to be able to offer a reliable assessment. One thing that did strike me, though, was Conterno’s desire to champion the wines of many producers, not just his own, at far more accessible prices than what has become the norm at many other restaurants in the region. Hopefully that will prove to be a sustainable business model.

As for the wines, readers will find two magnificent vintages in 2021 and 2020. I imagine these Barolos will go neck-and-neck over the coming years and decades. The 2021s are a bit more vibrant and focused, while the 2020s are a touch more open, without veering into excessive opulence. Simply put, Conterno has very few peers when it comes to exceptionally high quality and consistency.

Conterno fans will find a lot to like in the 2020 Barolos. For starters, Conterno bottled all his single-vineyard Barolos and Monfortino, which means readers will be able to compare all the wines, something that has not always been possible in recent years, in vintages where Conterno has chosen to just make Monfortino, or no Monfortino at all. One of the recent changes here has been a decision to shorten time in cask by a year for the Barolos. “At a certain point, we noticed the wines weren’t gaining anything by spending an additional year in cask,” Conterno told me. Given its longer aging, time in wood for Monfortino is more of vintage-by-vintage decision, although, here, too, the general trend is also to give the wine less time in cask. In other news, Conterno recently announced his acquisition of Ristorante Bovio in La Morra. Ristorante Bovio is one of the most loved restaurants in the region. It will be interesting to see what things look like when the restaurant re-opens (with a new name) in a few months’ time. In my view, there is no stronger message a producer can send than investing in their own region.

Never one to mince words, Roberto Conterno has no problem talking about all of the changes he has introduced at his family’s domaine over the last twenty years or so. “If my father asked me if I had changed anything at the estate since he passed away and I replied: ‘No, we haven’t changed a thing’ he would tell me I was an idiot. Of course things have changed. Everything has changed.” So begins a tasting that spans a wide range of new releases from both of Conterno’s properties.

One of the privileges of this job is having the opportunity to visit leading estates all over the world. It’s something that affords a great deal of perspective. The Giacomo Conterno winery was already quite established when Roberto Conterno took over following his father’s death in 2004. Since then, Conterno has not only elevated the family winery to the top in Italy, he has placed it firmly among the greatest estates anywhere in the world. As for the 2018 Barolos, they reflect the less than ideal conditions of the year. I find the wines a bit nervous. It will be fascinating to see how they develop.

"In the end, 2018 did not turn out as strong as I initially expected," Roberto Conterno told me. "Let me be clear, it's not that the wine's aren't good, but I had really high expectations going into harvest. We did not see the diurnal shifts I had hoped for. Naturally, I am talking about our wines only. I am much happier with our results in Gattinara." The 2018s have the nervous energy that is typical of so many wines in this vintage. I tasted all of the wines from barrel, hence the parenthetical scores. There is no Monfortino in 2018, marking the third consecutive vintage in which Conterno has opted not to bottle his flagship wine, the first time that has happened since the mid-1970s. "Let's see what happens with 2019, 2020 and 2021," Conterno said as we wrapped our conversation.

Roberto Conterno showed me a wide range of wines during my most recent visit. Conterno shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, it is quite the opposite; the pace of innovation has never been faster. Work on an expansion to the Monforte cellar is slated to begin shortly. At Nervi, the renovated winery melds tradition with innovation to a degree that is breathtaking. As if that were not enough, Nervi now boasts a world-class restaurant, with a wine list to boot. In terms of the wines, the 2017 Barolos are unbelievably elegant and refined. They are also incredibly expressive of site. The 2015 Monfortino, the first to include fruit from Arione, is even better from bottle than it was from barrel. I also tasted the 2018 Gattinaras from Nervi. They are exceptional. A little bird told you.

Roberto Conterno's 2016 Barolos offer fascinating insights into the personalities of three Serralunga crus, Cerretta before the center of town and then Francia and Arione, which are neighbors, on the other side of the village heading towards Monforte. One of the most intriguing aspects of the Conterno winery is that the wines don't always fall into the general beliefs about the overall quality of a given vintage. For example, in both 2014 and 2002, Conterno only bottled his flagship Barolo Monfortino - quite a statement in years that were so challenging elsewhere, but the wines clearly merited that treatment. (Readers with longer memories will remember the exceptional Monfortino of 1987). In 2016, Conterno decided against bottling Monfortino and has long maintained a view that for his wines, 2015 is superior to 2016. I suppose time will ultimately tell. The bottled 2016s are terrific, but they are also a bit more severe (specifically the Francia and Arione) than readers have come to expect in recent vintages. It will be interesting to see how the wines develop in bottle.

Roberto Conterno debuts his new Barolo from Arione with the 2015, and it is a stunner, just as it was from barrel. The 2013 and 2014 Monfortinos are both magnificent. Interestingly, both were bottled with five years in cask followed by a year in bottle before release, which is less time in cask and more in bottle than in the past, a response to changes in climate, as well as a desire to released Monfortino with a bit of time in bottle. In both 2013 and 2014, Conterno bottled the entirety of his production from Francia as Monfortino, so there is no Barolo Francia in either vintage. Roberto Conterno’s relentless quest for perfection and remarkable attention to even the seemingly smallest detail comes through in these breathtaking, captivating Barolos.

Conterno fans have a lot to look forward to. The bottled 2016 Barberas are stellar, while the 2017s offer tons of potential, the warm, dry vintage notwithstanding. The only new Barolo release this year is the 2014 Barolo Cerretta, as Conterno decided to make only Monfortino with all of his fruit from Francia. Readers should also take a close look at 2015, a year in which there will be four Barolos: the new Arione, Cerretta, Francia and Monfortino, plus a very special Nebbiolo d'Alba bottled only in magnums that will be sold only for charity.

I tasted these wines from Roberto Conterno in August 2016 and then two months later. During that time, the wines closed down considerably. Interestingly, the Cerretta appears to be quite a bit more bottle shocked than the Francia. I saw the same thing with the 2014 Barberas, so perhaps the wines' behavior has something to do with the specific personalities of these sites. Regardless, readers will have to be patient with the 2012 Barolos. The 2010 Monfortino is a unique case, in that it was bottled this year but won't be sold until 2017. At the beginning of the year, Roberto Conterno had not decided whether to bottle the 2010 this past summer or give the wine another year in cask. As a result, Conterno did not put the 2010 Monfortino on his price list this year. In the past, I have advised Vinous readers to taste the new release of Monfortino upon release, while the wine has still not shut down post-bottling, but that won't be possible with the 2010. If anything, that wine is already heading into what will almost certainly be a long slumber.

Roberto Conterno's 2012 Barolos are striking and full of promise. Harvest took place from October 12-15, more or less normal by modern-day standards, with yields that came in lower than 2011. the 2012s stand out for their aromatic intensity and overall polish. In particular, the Barolo Cerretta is super-impressive. As a post-script to this tasting, Roberto Conterno has decided not to bottle his Monfortino, so the Francia will naturally gain from the addition of that juice. Of all the recent vintages in which Monfortino has not been bottled, 2012 strikes me as a year where that decision must have been especially difficult given the overall quality of the wines.

Roberto Conterno's new releases are simply stunning. Over the last 7-8 years, Conterno has made significant investments in what is a total obsession with quality. In 2008, Conterno bought a parcel in Cerretta, the first investment his family had made in vineyard land since 1974, when his parents bought Francia. Earlier this year, Conterno purchased Arione, the property that lies adjacent to Francia on the southern edge of the property. A new destemmer, professional cork testing equipment, new casks and a gleaming, Ferrari-like state of the art bottling line are all sitting in the striking, newly renovated winery. I can't think of a single producer in Piedmont who has put so much on the line and who has made investments of this importance over the last decade. For that, and for the wines that emerge from this cellar, Conterno deserves all of the praise his wines command today. "This can't happen anymore," a visibly angered Roberto Conterno told me last year in front of an off magnum of 1996 Monfortino. Unlike so many producers who know to say the right things, Conterno backs up his words with action. Prices have gone up considerably, reflecting what appears to be a new normal for Piedmont's top estates, but I can't fault a producer who is so clearly investing for the future. Take it from someone who spends six months each year visiting wineries all over the US and Europe, Giacomo Conterno is as world class as world class gets.

Roberto Conterno's recent purchase of the Arione vineyard in Serralunga was top of mind pretty much everywhere I visited last week. Conterno acquired a total of just less than 6 hectares in Arione, which shares a border with Francia. Arione is an interesting vineyard in that it straddles the border between Serralunga and Roddino, which lies outside the Barolo zone. The total surface is just about 3.6 hectares in Serralunga planted with Nebbiolo for Barolo and a bit more than 2 hectares in Roddino, one planted with Nebbiolo d'Alba and one with Barbera. There will be a new Barolo Arione starting with the 2015 vintage. It is also possible that some Arione fruit might make it into the Monfortino, as the two sites are pretty similar, according to Conterno. The Nebbiolo in Roddino will be used for a new Nebbiolo d'Alba botting. Roberto Conterno is one of the most forward thinking growers in Piedmont. Conterno's recent plan to expand the cellar 'just in case' has turned out to be a brilliant decision. In fact, without the extra space, Conterno would have had to work in very cramped quarters to vinify Arione. As for the wines in barrel, they are special. The 2013 Barberas show the personality of the late harvest year, while the 2011 Barolos are among the best wines of that vintage. Bottling is scheduled for June 2015.

Roberto Conterno's 2011 Barolos are terrific. As is the case in many cellars, the wines have had a pretty remarkable transformation over the last few years and are now much more finessed than they were at the outset. Conterno has often told me that in his opinion Nebbiolo can handle cold, rainy weather, but that drier, warmer seasons are much more difficult. There was no Monfortino in 2003, 2007 or 2009, so I would be quite surprised to see one in 2011. Conterno adds that in 2011, the Barbera and Nebbiolo harvests were separated by just two weeks, as opposed to the more customary four or so. Readers might also want to take a look back a this [short video]](http://vinous.com/multimedia/a-conversation-with-roberto-conterno-sep-2011) I shot with Conterno in late August 2011. With the 2010 vintage, Cascina Francia is now labeled as simply Francia.

Roberto Conterno is in the midst of remodeling his winery, which involves increasing storage space and creating a bit more space for visitors. It's hard - no, impossible - to walk among thes casks in the cellar and not think about the rich history contained within these walls. Conterno was just 17 in 1985 when he helped his father set up the winery. Among other things, that involved moving all the wines in cask from the old cellar to the current-day facility in Monforte, including the 1978 and 1982 Monfortinos, among others. The 2010 Barolos have only recently been bottled. Although it is early, it is pretty clear the wines are absolutely magical and express every bit of the potential they always have.

I have tasted Conterno's 2010s from barrel many times over the last few years and they have never been anything less than spellbinding. The Nebbiolo harvest took place in mid-October, pretty much average these days. Overall, the wines have a very classic sense of structure, with perhaps a bit less perfume and more evident tannin than the 2008s. With 2010, Roberto Conterno debuts with his new Barolo from the Cerretta vineyard in Serralunga. The acquisition of a new vineyard by one of Barolo's historic estates is not something that happens every day, to say the least. The addition of Conterno's Barolo Cerretta to the Piedmont landscape is a major event. When he bought the vineyard in 2008, Roberto Conterno told me he needed 2-3 years to get the vineyard in shape. Judging by the 2011 Barbera - which is interplanetary - he appears to be right on schedule. The first Barolo from Cerretta is magnificent, but things seem to just be getting started here. As for the rest, well, I have written about Conterno extensively for years. In short, though, I will reiterate that there are few producers anywhere in the world who can match Roberto Conterno's intellect, passion and unrelenting drive for excellence.

Roberto Conterno has dedicated significant effort and money to ensuring the quality and consistency of the corks he uses for his widely sought Barolos.For starters, he begins with high-quality, completely untreated corks with few pores, analyzes them, then selects the ones he wants and sends back the rest.His treatment of his corks, which relies on a combination of paraffin, silicone and an anti-absorption agent, is designed to prevent the transfer of tannins from the cork to the wine.But in order to lubricate his corks with these materials in a completely consistent and controlled way, Conterno had a special machine designed and built that looks like a cross between a lottery machine and a spin drier (I asked him if he could dry my shirt while I was tasting). To prevent the counterfeiting of his highly collectible Barolos, he also uses a machine that prints an intricate logo on the corks, a lot number, the exact name of the wine, and the vintage year on both ends.Happily, the new wines at this great Monforte estate are up to the quality of the high-tech cork improvements.The 2011 barberas, from a vintage that Conterno calls "unbelievable" for this variety, are stunningly good.Conterno described the 2011 growing season as hot at the end and throughout, whereas 2009 witnessed a temperate summer until mid-August, then turned hot.Two thousand seven has more fruit, while 2009 has more tannins, added Conterno, who did not make a separate Monfortino wine in any of these three odd-numbered vintages.But 2006, 2008 and 2010 are another matter entirely, and these wines all look to be cellar treasures.

Roberto Conterno has dedicated significant effort and money to ensuring the quality and consistency of the corks he uses for his widely sought Barolos.For starters, he begins with high-quality, completely untreated corks with few pores, analyzes them, then selects the ones he wants and sends back the rest.His treatment of his corks, which relies on a combination of paraffin, silicone and an anti-absorption agent, is designed to prevent the transfer of tannins from the cork to the wine.But in order to lubricate his corks with these materials in a completely consistent and controlled way, Conterno had a special machine designed and built that looks like a cross between a lottery machine and a spin drier (I asked him if he could dry my shirt while I was tasting). To prevent the counterfeiting of his highly collectible Barolos, he also uses a machine that prints an intricate logo on the corks, a lot number, the exact name of the wine, and the vintage year on both ends.Happily, the new wines at this great Monforte estate are up to the quality of the high-tech cork improvements.The 2011 barberas, from a vintage that Conterno calls "unbelievable" for this variety, are stunningly good.Conterno described the 2011 growing season as hot at the end and throughout, whereas 2009 witnessed a temperate summer until mid-August, then turned hot.Two thousand seven has more fruit, while 2009 has more tannins, added Conterno, who did not make a separate Monfortino wine in any of these three odd-numbered vintages.But 2006, 2008 and 2010 are another matter entirely, and these wines all look to be cellar treasures.

I have had many superb tastings at Giacomo Conterno over the years, but the most recent was arguably the most special. Following Conterno's Barolos from barrel, into bottle and then over the years as they age is a fabulous experience. Roberto Conterno has done a fabulous job with his new releases, but there are plenty of other emotional, riveting wines aging in the cellar as well. Conterno's attention to detail is equaled by few, if any, other producers in Piedmont. Bringing cork selection and printing in house is just the latest development in an approach that starts in the vineyard and finishes in one of the most pristine, immaculate cellars readers will see anywhere in the world.

It is always so quiet at Conterno. Like a cathedral. Nothing is out of place. Roberto Conterno once told me his late father would walk throughout the cellar and make sure all of the casks were perfectly inline. It is that unreleting drive for excellent that has produced so many extraordinary wines here over the years. A tasting at Conterno is always a great education, but things have gotten even more interesting over the last few years with the addition of the Barbera and soon-to-be Barolo from Cerretta. Both those wines continue to grow with each passing year. The highlight among these upcoming releases is surely the 2006 Monfortino.

It's always an interesting experience tasting with Roberto Conterno, as his take on recent vintages does not necessarily track that of his colleagues. Conterno views 2008 as a unique year. "We picked late but the wines are fruity more than minerally," he said. In quantity of tannins, he went on, the 2008s are lower than 2009 but higher than 2007. "The most tannic recent vintages for us were 2010, 2006 and 2002." Conterno compares 2009 to 2007 but with a bit more acidity. There will be no 2007 Monfortino, as this cuvee was not rich enough in tannins or sufficiently powerful. Needless to say, the Cascina Francia, Conterno's only Barolo in '07, is an outperformer. In September, Conterno had not yet decided if there would be a Monfortino in 2009.

A stop at this historic cellar in the center of Monforte is always fascinating, as no one keeps Barolo longer in cask than Roberto Conterno, giving the visitor a chance to taste numerous wines all in various stages of their maturation. If forced to pick a favorite recent vintage, I would vote for 2010, a year in which all of the wines are fabulous. Next would be 2008 and 2006, two super-classic years. Robero Conterno is by far the most enlightened of the traditional producers in Barolo. I don't think too many producers taste their wines as often as Roberto Conterno does, but what really separates Conterno from the overwhelming majority of his peers is his intense intellectual curiosity about the world's great wines. The Conterno wines remain generally traditional in interpretation, but they are also clearly the work of a winemaker living in his time and not the past. This set of new releases is full of highlights, but the Barbera from Conterno's Cerretta vineyard is particularly of note because it is the most improved wine in the lineup. When Conterno purchased this plot in 2008, he told me it would take 2-3 years to get the vineyard into top shape. When I asked him recently where he was in that process, the answer was, “Ninety percent.” Readers should note that the two flagship Baroli, Cascina Francia and Monfortino, were especially shut down every time I tasted them this past summer. Conterno bottled a month earlier than normal this year, and I think that is the reason the wines were particularly impenetrable. Readers may also want to take a look at my previous reviews, based on barrel samples, for greater context.

Roberto Conterno's 2008s capture the best qualities of the vintage. They are intensely perfumed and impeccably refined. These will be fascinating wines to follow over the coming years. As for the rest of the wines in cask, they are pretty spectacular, too. Today I am most optimistic about the 2010s, but there seems to be no shortage of great wines aging in this historic cellar. Readers who want to get an early impression on 2010 will want to check out Conterno's Barbere, which are shaping up beautifully.

It's always an interesting experience tasting with Roberto Conterno, as his take on recent vintages does not necessarily track that of his colleagues. Conterno views 2008 as a unique year. "We picked late but the wines are fruity more than minerally," he said. In quantity of tannins, he went on, the 2008s are lower than 2009 but higher than 2007. "The most tannic recent vintages for us were 2010, 2006 and 2002." Conterno compares 2009 to 2007 but with a bit more acidity. There will be no 2007 Monfortino, as this cuvee was not rich enough in tannins or sufficiently powerful. Needless to say, the Cascina Francia, Conterno's only Barolo in '07, is an outperformer. In September, Conterno had not yet decided if there would be a Monfortino in 2009.

It's always an interesting experience tasting with Roberto Conterno, as his take on recent vintages does not necessarily track that of his colleagues. Conterno views 2008 as a unique year. "We picked late but the wines are fruity more than minerally," he said. In quantity of tannins, he went on, the 2008s are lower than 2009 but higher than 2007. "The most tannic recent vintages for us were 2010, 2006 and 2002." Conterno compares 2009 to 2007 but with a bit more acidity. There will be no 2007 Monfortino, as this cuvee was not rich enough in tannins or sufficiently powerful. Needless to say, the Cascina Francia, Conterno's only Barolo in '07, is an outperformer. In September, Conterno had not yet decided if there would be a Monfortino in 2009.

The drive from Barolo to Monforte was a little different this year. Peering across the valley over the hillside where the Conterno winery sits, the observant eye will notice a number of large barrels outside the main building. Roberto Conterno had no choice but to replace a number of his casks this year as the staves had begun to bend from many years of use, and Conterno was understandably afraid of the unthinkable, that the casks could finally yield to old age full of wine. Still, he was clearly upset by having to replace barrels that he personally moved into the new winery with his father during the summer of 1985. Just to think of the wines that were racked during that move. The 1978, 1979 and 1982 Monfortinos were all aged in those casks. To be honest, seeing the empty space in the winery as the new casks were about to arrive was quite a shock. The wines, however, were not. I tasted all of the wines currently in cask plus the new releases from bottle. My high expectations were easily surpassed. Conterno fans have a lot to look forward to. Roberto Conterno has decided to give his new Nebbiolo from the Cerretta vineyard another year in barrel. At the moment Conterno is leaning towards releasing the 2009 as a Langhe Nebbiolo rather than Barolo, although that could always change.

A visit to this immaculate cellar is always one of the highlights of a trip to Piedmont. Proprietor Roberto Conterno has a number of gorgeous wines in barrel. I tasted just about every wine in cask and was simply blown away by the quality across all of the wines. For starters, the 2009s from his newly acquired parcels in Cerretta are a step up from the 2008s.

After tasting three stunning vintages of Per Cristina with Domenico Clerico, I drove up the road to see Roberto Conterno, where I was treated to two more of the highlights of my September tour: the 2004 and 2006 Barolo Monfortino. Conterno describes these vintages as similar in style, just as he links 2007 and 2005 as rounder, more elegant wines. But the 2007 does not have quite the tannic structure to merit a riserva bottling, he told me. Still, Conterno, like many of his colleagues in the Langhe, described 2007 as "a masterpiece for barbera." He calls 2006 "an intermezzo between 2005 and 2004." The wines, he says, combine the structure of 2004 with the fruit notes of 2005. (Numerous importers, including Douglas Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY and The Rare Wine Company, Sonoma, CA)

This wine was tasted over dinner, November 2014

After tasting three stunning vintages of Per Cristina with Domenico Clerico, I drove up the road to see Roberto Conterno, where I was treated to two more of the highlights of my September tour: the 2004 and 2006 Barolo Monfortino. Conterno describes these vintages as similar in style, just as he links 2007 and 2005 as rounder, more elegant wines. But the 2007 does not have quite the tannic structure to merit a riserva bottling, he told me. Still, Conterno, like many of his colleagues in the Langhe, described 2007 as "a masterpiece for barbera." He calls 2006 "an intermezzo between 2005 and 2004." The wines, he says, combine the structure of 2004 with the fruit notes of 2005. (Numerous importers, including Douglas Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY and The Rare Wine Company, Sonoma, CA)

After tasting three stunning vintages of Per Cristina with Domenico Clerico, I drove up the road to see Roberto Conterno, where I was treated to two more of the highlights of my September tour: the 2004 and 2006 Barolo Monfortino. Conterno describes these vintages as similar in style, just as he links 2007 and 2005 as rounder, more elegant wines. But the 2007 does not have quite the tannic structure to merit a riserva bottling, he told me. Still, Conterno, like many of his colleagues in the Langhe, described 2007 as "a masterpiece for barbera." He calls 2006 "an intermezzo between 2005 and 2004." The wines, he says, combine the structure of 2004 with the fruit notes of 2005. (Numerous importers, including Douglas Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY and The Rare Wine Company, Sonoma, CA)

My recent visit to Giacomo Conterno was fascinating, as I had an opportunity to spend several hours tasting through all of the wines in barrel with proprietor Roberto Conterno. The question of succession is always an issue in small, family-run wineries, but this is one example where the younger generation is building on past success by taking things to an entirely new level. I can only imagine how proud Giovanni Conterno would be if he could see (and taste!) the sublime wines that have emerged from this property in recent years. Among the wines still in barrel, the most promising appear to be the 2002, 2004 and 2005 Monfortinos, all of which are spectacular at this stage. I also tasted Conterno's first wines from his newly-acquired vineyard in Cerretta. The 2008s show a work in progress as Conterno only had control of the vineyard for a few months that year. It will be interesting to see what he comes up with going forward. These two new releases from proprietor Roberto Conterno are stellar. This year there is no Monfortino, as the next vintage that is scheduled for release, the 2002, is still in barrel. Depending on one's point of view, the lack of a new Monfortino might be good or bad news. I, for one, don't mind a year without having to make the significant but very worthwhile investment acquiring these wines requires.

Roberto Conterno's 2002 Barolo Monfortino is a legend before its time, as the neighbors have been talking about it for years and the wine is still nowhere near being bottled. In this mostly dreadful vintage in which virtually no producers released single-vineyard wines, Conterno announced early on that he'd be offering the estate's flagship Monfortino bottling. The reason? Conterno's Cascina Francia vines in Serralunga were spared the September hailstorm, and Conterno let the fruit hang very late in order to get sound phenolic ripeness. "It basically stopped raining after the early September hailstorm in the region and we benefited from a long period with cool nights. We eventually harvested in Cascina Francia on October 18 and 19, eliminating only the dried grapes. There was very little need to throw out anything else in 2002. " Conterno went on: "There was no in-between in this vintage," he told me. "There's either nebbiolo, which in this region was unfortunately often bottled as Barolo, or there's wine with great power. When we saw what we had harvested, my father said 'let's make only Monfortino. '" Conterno told me I was the first journalist he had showed the wine to (?), then made me promise not to publish a note. I can report that the sample I tasted, though reduced, had a very deep color; a wonderfully primary, sappy nose; almost shockingly young flavors of black fruits and minerals; and building tannins that reached the incisors. It clearly offers outstanding potential, but it remains to be seen how the market will respond to an expensive cult bottling from a forgettable vintage. As a rule, Conterno bottles his Monfortino after seven years of aging in large ovals. ("The reason we harvest so late is that we use only the tannins from the grapes, so we need to have full phenolic maturity," Conterno explained. ) He racks his wine three or four times in the first year, then once a year "at most" thereafter. "The 2001 went two or three years without a racking," he told me. "There's no rule; it depends on how the wine tastes. You know, it's more important that people recognize my wines in a tasting than like them. Otherwise we risk getting lost in the ocean of wine. " Conterno loves the 2004 vintage for both barbera and nebbiolo. "We had incredible fruit and there are many similarities to 2001: similar quantity and similar elements. In both years we eliminated about half of the grapes in a green harvest, and we made only about 28 hectoliters per hectare of Barolo in both years. " (Numerous importers, including Douglas Polaner Selections, New York, NY and The Rare Wine Company, Sonoma, CA)

Roberto Conterno made not one, but two of the wines of the vintage in 2004. These Barolos were utterly captivating in barrel and they just keep getting better in bottle. The 2004 Monfortino remains as it always has been; a model of finesse, while the Cascina Francia continues to put on weight. While both wines can be enjoyed today, they are also years away from peaking. Oddly enough, the Monfortino is more accessible than the Cascina Francia at this point in time. I can only imagine how hard it must have been for Roberto Conterno to make these wines, as his father, Giovanni Conterno, passed away in February that year. As for the wines, well, they are simply stellar. For more historical perspective and a look back at Monfortino, readers might enjoy notes from the London Monfortino Vertical.

The biggest news at Giacomo Conterno over the last few months has been the estate's recently completed acquisition of three hectares in the Cerretta vineyard in Serralunga. This is a significant development considering the winery's history. Few estates in Italy are so closely identified with one piece of land as Giacomo Conterno. When Conterno purchased the Cascina Francia vineyard (a monopole) in 1974 it was a wheat field, although vines had been planted there in the past. There are no known pre-Conterno wines from Cascina Francia. Once the estate began making wines from Cascina Francia (first vintage 1978) they focused all of their attention on that vineyard and ceased using purchased fruit. Given all of the change in Piedmont over the last thirty-plus years it is hard to believe, but Conterno never acquired another parcel - until now. There are two hectares of Nebbiolo and one of Barbera which will become new, separate bottlings. Roberto Conterno told me it will be two to three years before the vineyard responds to the work he is doing today. Unfortunately 2008 has been a challenging growing season characterized by abundant rain in the spring and summer, along with hail, which damaged a portion of the fruit, so total production from Cerretta is expected to be small. Still, it will be fascinating to see what Conterno comes up with from their new vineyards in Cerretta. As for the new releases, they are drop-dead gorgeous. While some of these wines are increasingly difficult to afford, at the end of the day it is hard to begrudge the commercial success of one of Italy's historic estates, which in many ways, has been a long time coming. The late Giovanni Conterno and his wife Yvonne made enormous sacrifices over the years. In 1974 they paid a princely sum for their Cascina Francia vineyard, then in the early 1980s they built their current winemaking facility, all while putting five children through school. Today Roberto Conterno makes wines that can hold their own with the very finest wines made anywhere in the world, and in that context theses Barolos remain fairly priced. This is an estate that has achieved its success the hard way, by earning it - not just over the years, but over the decades.

Roberto Conterno's 2002 Barolo Monfortino is a legend before its time, as the neighbors have been talking about it for years and the wine is still nowhere near being bottled. In this mostly dreadful vintage in which virtually no producers released single-vineyard wines, Conterno announced early on that he'd be offering the estate's flagship Monfortino bottling. The reason? Conterno's Cascina Francia vines in Serralunga were spared the September hailstorm, and Conterno let the fruit hang very late in order to get sound phenolic ripeness. "It basically stopped raining after the early September hailstorm in the region and we benefited from a long period with cool nights. We eventually harvested in Cascina Francia on October 18 and 19, eliminating only the dried grapes. There was very little need to throw out anything else in 2002. " Conterno went on: "There was no in-between in this vintage," he told me. "There's either nebbiolo, which in this region was unfortunately often bottled as Barolo, or there's wine with great power. When we saw what we had harvested, my father said 'let's make only Monfortino. '" Conterno told me I was the first journalist he had showed the wine to (?), then made me promise not to publish a note. I can report that the sample I tasted, though reduced, had a very deep color; a wonderfully primary, sappy nose; almost shockingly young flavors of black fruits and minerals; and building tannins that reached the incisors. It clearly offers outstanding potential, but it remains to be seen how the market will respond to an expensive cult bottling from a forgettable vintage. As a rule, Conterno bottles his Monfortino after seven years of aging in large ovals. ("The reason we harvest so late is that we use only the tannins from the grapes, so we need to have full phenolic maturity," Conterno explained. ) He racks his wine three or four times in the first year, then once a year "at most" thereafter. "The 2001 went two or three years without a racking," he told me. "There's no rule; it depends on how the wine tastes. You know, it's more important that people recognize my wines in a tasting than like them. Otherwise we risk getting lost in the ocean of wine. " Conterno loves the 2004 vintage for both barbera and nebbiolo. "We had incredible fruit and there are many similarities to 2001: similar quantity and similar elements. In both years we eliminated about half of the grapes in a green harvest, and we made only about 28 hectoliters per hectare of Barolo in both years. " (Numerous importers, including Douglas Polaner Selections, New York, NY and The Rare Wine Company, Sonoma, CA)

Roberto Conterno waited until October 8 to bring in his Nebbiolo, very late by the standard of the year. In 2003, Conterno decided against bottling his Monfortino, so there is only one Barolo, the Cascina Francia. Unlike many of his colleagues, Conterno believes Nebbiolo can withstand rain, but is much more susceptible to extreme heat, which is one of the reasons Monfortino has been made in very rainy years such as 1987 and 2002, but not warm vintages such as 2003 and 2007.

Roberto Conterno's 2002 Barolo Monfortino is a legend before its time, as the neighbors have been talking about it for years and the wine is still nowhere near being bottled. In this mostly dreadful vintage in which virtually no producers released single-vineyard wines, Conterno announced early on that he'd be offering the estate's flagship Monfortino bottling. The reason? Conterno's Cascina Francia vines in Serralunga were spared the September hailstorm, and Conterno let the fruit hang very late in order to get sound phenolic ripeness. "It basically stopped raining after the early September hailstorm in the region and we benefited from a long period with cool nights. We eventually harvested in Cascina Francia on October 18 and 19, eliminating only the dried grapes. There was very little need to throw out anything else in 2002. " Conterno went on: "There was no in-between in this vintage," he told me. "There's either nebbiolo, which in this region was unfortunately often bottled as Barolo, or there's wine with great power. When we saw what we had harvested, my father said 'let's make only Monfortino. '" Conterno told me I was the first journalist he had showed the wine to (?), then made me promise not to publish a note. I can report that the sample I tasted, though reduced, had a very deep color; a wonderfully primary, sappy nose; almost shockingly young flavors of black fruits and minerals; and building tannins that reached the incisors. It clearly offers outstanding potential, but it remains to be seen how the market will respond to an expensive cult bottling from a forgettable vintage. As a rule, Conterno bottles his Monfortino after seven years of aging in large ovals. ("The reason we harvest so late is that we use only the tannins from the grapes, so we need to have full phenolic maturity," Conterno explained. ) He racks his wine three or four times in the first year, then once a year "at most" thereafter. "The 2001 went two or three years without a racking," he told me. "There's no rule; it depends on how the wine tastes. You know, it's more important that people recognize my wines in a tasting than like them. Otherwise we risk getting lost in the ocean of wine. " Conterno loves the 2004 vintage for both barbera and nebbiolo. "We had incredible fruit and there are many similarities to 2001: similar quantity and similar elements. In both years we eliminated about half of the grapes in a green harvest, and we made only about 28 hectoliters per hectare of Barolo in both years. " (Numerous importers, including Douglas Polaner Selections, New York, NY and The Rare Wine Company, Sonoma, CA)

This is another set of superb releases from Giacomo Conterno one of the bastions of traditionally made Barolos. While Conterno's wines have often been profound, in recent vintages the estate has found another level of finesse that was sometimes m issing in the wines. It is hard to say if that is because of a general trend towards warmer vintages, the estate's focus on making just three wines, or small improvements in vineyard and cellar work, but the fact remains that over the past few vintages Roberto Conterno has produced the best and most cons istently outstanding wines in h is venerable firm's long h istory. The wines he has in barrel amply confirm th is very positive trend.

Readers fortunate enough to own Conterno's 2001s would do well to forget about the wines for a good 5-10 years. These are some of the most backward, Barolis of the vintage.

Ask producers in the region which wine represents the pinnacle of winemaking in the Langhe the answer you are most likely to hear is Giacomo Conterno's Barolo Riserva Monfortino, which has long been an iconic wine in these parts. The estate produces three wines, all from its Cascina Francia vineyard in Serralunga. The Barbera is usually one of the top wines in the region. It sees 21 months of aging in medium size casks before being released. Conterno is most known for his two Barolos, Cascina Francia and the Monfortino Riserva, which is only produced in top vintages. When the vintage warrants, Conterno makes a selection of the very best grapes just before harvest, and this fruit is destined for the Monfortino. Depending on climactic conditions various parcels within the Cascina Francia vineyard mature differently, so the exact source of the fruit for the Monfortino can vary from year to year. Cascina Francia is fermented in stainless steel, with temperature control, for 3-4 weeks. Aging takes place in large Slavonian oak casks for 4 years. For the Monfortino, the grapes are fermented in a combination of open-top wood vats and stainless steel tanks without temperature control for 4-5 weeks. The wine is then aged in a single large Slavonian oak cask for 7 years. Conterno employs a very minimalist approach in the cellar when it comes to making his wines. He believes the work is done in the vineyards, where his yields are typically below 4,000 kilos per hectare. Conterno employs only natural yeasts and the wines are not fined or filtered prior to bottling. Both of Conterno's Barolos are legendary for their extraordinary complexity and aging potential. Monfortino in particular is a reference point wine in the region, a standard among which all other wines are measured, both modern and traditional. Simply put, these are reference-point wines for the region that no one who loves Barolo will want to be without. The only problem consumers are likely to face is one of allocation of resources, as Conterno has a range of exceptional wines from recent vintages on the market today. While not inexpensive, the quality of these wines is extraordinary, and I can't recommend them highly enough. In particular the 1999 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is not to be missed. “I've always believed 1999 is a truly great vintage, one that unites classical structure with ripeness, profound aromatics and power,” says Roberto Conterno. “Of course the wines will require some bottle age to come around, but these are magnificent Barolos that will be extremely long-lived. We had a very well-balanced growing season in 1999. We received a healthy amount of snow in the winter, which gave the vines some reserves of water. The spring was warm, but the temperatures remarkably consistent, so I didn't need to intervene much in the vineyard at all. We had a warm summer, but without excessive heat, and very even weather all the way through the fall. The harvest was fairly late. We began picking around October 16-17, so although not quite as late as 1996, when we harvested the nebbiolos on the 20th of October, it was still a fairly late harvest by today's standards. The vines were not overly productive so we only ended up dropping 30-35% of our fruit during the green harvests, as opposed to vintages like 2001 and 2004 which required more dramatic greenharvesting.”

The following wines were tasted at a class on Barolo and Barbaresco I led at Crush Wine and Spirits in mid-town Manhattan in February 2006. The evening provided a great opportunity to check in on a few new releases as well as taste some of the region's benchmark wines from nearly all of the most important vintages back to 1961.

Roberto Conterno rates 1999 tops among recent vintages, followed by 2001 and then 2000. "Nineteen ninety-nine is the most complex wine," he told me, "while the 2000 is a very elegant Barolo for earlier drinking. Two thousand one was an excellent vintage with a tendency toward overproduction," he went on, adding that by cutting a lot of grapes in August he was able to limit production to about 30 hectoliters per hectare. "The young 2001s are currently sterner than the relatively open 2000s," he noted. As I reported in Issue 105, the estate replaced its freisa and dolcetto with barbera and nebbiolo after the 2000 vintage, and now ages its barbera for 21 months in large casks (prior to the 2001 vintage, the barbera was bottled the summer after the harvest). But with that exception, Conterno pointed out, "nothing has changed in the vinification here, and there is never any clarification of the wines prior to bottling. "

These are two exceptional Baroli from proprietor Roberto Conterno. The Cascina Francia shows the sexiness of the vintage, while Monfortino captures the power. The former is ready to deliver pleasure now, the latter may very well prove to be nearly immortal.

In May of this year I attended two very special tastings at Cru in New York. Winemakers Roberto Conterno and Mauro Mascarello were in town to present extensive verticals of their Barolos. The first tasting took place in the afternoon and featured current releases as well as a few older vintages. Although I generally avoid trade events because they don't allow enough time to accurately assess each wine, this sit-down tasting, which was hosted by importer Doug Polaner, was extremely well organized. Cru Wine Director Robert Bohr and his staff did an outstanding job in coordinating the service of the wines, which was no small feat. Between the afternoon tasting and the dinner that followed, I don't think I have ever tasted so many profound and emotionally moving wines in a single day! The wines were double decanted a few hours prior to serving. Roberto Conterno kicked off the tasting by talking about his estate and its winemaking philosophy. Giacomo Conterno is without question one of the most historically significant domaines in Piedmont, and all of Italy for that matter. The winery is named after Roberto's grandfather, Giacomo, who was a pioneer in producing, bottling, and exporting high quality wines decades before such practices became common in the region. It was also Giacomo who bottled the first Barolo Riserva in 1920. Giacomo's son Giovanni took over the estate in the early 1960s. Despite his untimely passing last year, Giovanni Conterno remains a towering figure in the Piedmontese landscape. Even today he is spoken about in the most respectful and reverential terms as a great man. “My grandfather's wines were good, but it was my father who really took quality to the next level,” explains Giovanni's son Roberto, who has worked in the winery since 1988. As happens with any generational change, Roberto Conterno receives many questions about the direction he is taking the estate. “A family friend said to me recently ‘your father was a traditionalist, but you are worse!'” recounts Conterno, assuring the audience that nothing will change in this winery's approach now that he is in charge. Conterno makes two Barolos both from the Cascina Francia vineyard, one of the great monopole sites in Piedmont. The vineyard was purchased by Giovanni Conterno in 1974 and measures six hectares. Cascina Francia is made in a traditional style, with natural yeasts and temperature-controlled fermentation and maceration lasting 3-4 weeks. The wines are aged in large Slavonian oak casks and are bottled in the summer of the fourth year following the harvest. In great vintages a special selection of the best fruit is made in the vineyard and that fruit becomes the Barolo Riserva Monfortino, perhaps the single most iconic wine in all of Piedmont. Monfortino is also made with natural yeasts, although fermentation/maceration time is longer, lasting 4-5 weeks, and is carried out without the aid of temperature control. Current vintages are aged seven years in cask, but past vintages have seen as much as 10 years of cask aging before being released. Monfortino is legendary for its extraordinary longevity, which is usually measured in decades.

Roberto Conterno rates 1999 tops among recent vintages, followed by 2001 and then 2000. "Nineteen ninety-nine is the most complex wine," he told me, "while the 2000 is a very elegant Barolo for earlier drinking. Two thousand one was an excellent vintage with a tendency toward overproduction," he went on, adding that by cutting a lot of grapes in August he was able to limit production to about 30 hectoliters per hectare. "The young 2001s are currently sterner than the relatively open 2000s," he noted. As I reported in Issue 105, the estate replaced its freisa and dolcetto with barbera and nebbiolo after the 2000 vintage, and now ages its barbera for 21 months in large casks (prior to the 2001 vintage, the barbera was bottled the summer after the harvest). But with that exception, Conterno pointed out, "nothing has changed in the vinification here, and there is never any clarification of the wines prior to bottling. "

Among the new developments at this renowned traditionalist: the Conternos replaced their dolcetto and freisa with nebbiolo and barbera after the 2000 vintage and will now concentrate on just two varieties. Also, beginning with the 2001 vintage, they will age their barbera a full year longer (21 months vs. 9) - "the way the wines were made 30 years ago," according to Roberto Conterno, who added that 2001 was a good time to make this change as this vintage supports longer aging.The Conterno Barolos continue to spend a long time on their skins during the fermentation (a month or more for the Monfortino, a bit less for the Cascina Francia) and are aged exclusively in large old Slavonian ovals. The Cascina Francia is bottled during the fourth year after the vintage and the Monfortino during the seventh year. "Only the use of large barrels enables us to maintain the particular aromatic characteristics of each year," explains Conterno. "The weather conditions we have during July create the terpenes, the classic Barolo perfumes like rose petal and camphor, and we find these aromatic characteristics only after three or four years of aging the wines in larger casks. Certainly barriques give certain advantages but we think that they standardize the wines." Conterno told me he was most fond of '99 and '97 among his recent vintages, but he noted that '98 had a more classical balance.

Giovanni and Roberto Conterno made two of their all-time greatest Barolos in 1999. I remember drinking a lot of the 1999 Cascina Francia when it was first released. At the time, it was (relatively) inexpensive and no one had an interest in the vintage. How much things have changed since then. Readers who are fortunate enough to own the 1999s are going to be thrilled.

This wine was tasted during La Festa del Barolo's Gala Dinner in April 2013.

"The spirit of sharing and camaraderie the world’s best wines inspire was in evidence at La Festa del Barolo, where I was fortunate to enjoy a range of emotionally moving, transcendental wines." Antonio Galloni

This wine was tasted as part of a charity dinner at Eleven Madison Park to benefit Haiti in June, 2010.

“I've always believed 1999 is a truly great vintage, one that unites classical structure with ripeness, profound aromatics and power,” says Roberto Conterno. “Of course the wines will require some bottle age to come around, but these are magnificent Barolos that will be extremely long-lived.” Certainly the 1990s was a great decade for this estate and its wines. Conterno produced his flagship Riserva Monfortino no fewer than seven times. I have been fortunate to taste many vintages of Monfortino. Regardless of what conventional wisdom says about the quality of vintages, the magic of these wines always emerges provided readers are patient and give the wines plenty of decanting time. “We had a very well-balanced growing season in 1999. We received a healthy amount of snow in the winter, which gave the vines some reserves of water. The spring was warm, but the temperatures remarkably consistent, so I didn't need to intervene much in the vineyard at all. We had a warm summer, but without excessive heat, and very even weather all the way through the fall. The harvest was fairly late. We began picking around October 16-17, so although not quite as late as 1996, when we harvested the Nebbiolos on the 20th of October, it was still a fairly late harvest by today's standards. The vines were not overly productive so we only ended up dropping 30-35% of our fruit during the green harvests, as opposed to vintages like 2001 and 2004 which required more dramatic green- harvesting.” There will be no Cascina Francia in 2002, but there will be a Monfortino. To say that it is the most eagerly anticipated wine of the vintage would be a gross understatement. Unfortunately I don't think this wine will be bottled anytime soon, even by Monfortino standards, as Conterno told me recently “I don't think seven years of cask will be enough to soften this wine, it may well require additional aging. For us 2002 is not a good vintage, rather it is a great vintage.”

In May of this year I attended two very special tastings at Cru in New York. Winemakers Roberto Conterno and Mauro Mascarello were in town to present extensive verticals of their Barolos. The first tasting took place in the afternoon and featured current releases as well as a few older vintages. Although I generally avoid trade events because they don't allow enough time to accurately assess each wine, this sit-down tasting, which was hosted by importer Doug Polaner, was extremely well organized. Cru Wine Director Robert Bohr and his staff did an outstanding job in coordinating the service of the wines, which was no small feat. Between the afternoon tasting and the dinner that followed, I don't think I have ever tasted so many profound and emotionally moving wines in a single day! The wines were double decanted a few hours prior to serving. Roberto Conterno kicked off the tasting by talking about his estate and its winemaking philosophy. Giacomo Conterno is without question one of the most historically significant domaines in Piedmont, and all of Italy for that matter. The winery is named after Roberto's grandfather, Giacomo, who was a pioneer in producing, bottling, and exporting high quality wines decades before such practices became common in the region. It was also Giacomo who bottled the first Barolo Riserva in 1920. Giacomo's son Giovanni took over the estate in the early 1960s. Despite his untimely passing last year, Giovanni Conterno remains a towering figure in the Piedmontese landscape. Even today he is spoken about in the most respectful and reverential terms as a great man. “My grandfather's wines were good, but it was my father who really took quality to the next level,” explains Giovanni's son Roberto, who has worked in the winery since 1988. As happens with any generational change, Roberto Conterno receives many questions about the direction he is taking the estate. “A family friend said to me recently ‘your father was a traditionalist, but you are worse!'” recounts Conterno, assuring the audience that nothing will change in this winery's approach now that he is in charge. Conterno makes two Barolos both from the Cascina Francia vineyard, one of the great monopole sites in Piedmont. The vineyard was purchased by Giovanni Conterno in 1974 and measures six hectares. Cascina Francia is made in a traditional style, with natural yeasts and temperature-controlled fermentation and maceration lasting 3-4 weeks. The wines are aged in large Slavonian oak casks and are bottled in the summer of the fourth year following the harvest. In great vintages a special selection of the best fruit is made in the vineyard and that fruit becomes the Barolo Riserva Monfortino, perhaps the single most iconic wine in all of Piedmont. Monfortino is also made with natural yeasts, although fermentation/maceration time is longer, lasting 4-5 weeks, and is carried out without the aid of temperature control. Current vintages are aged seven years in cask, but past vintages have seen as much as 10 years of cask aging before being released. Monfortino is legendary for its extraordinary longevity, which is usually measured in decades.

Roberto Conterno rates 1999 tops among recent vintages, followed by 2001 and then 2000. "Nineteen ninety-nine is the most complex wine," he told me, "while the 2000 is a very elegant Barolo for earlier drinking. Two thousand one was an excellent vintage with a tendency toward overproduction," he went on, adding that by cutting a lot of grapes in August he was able to limit production to about 30 hectoliters per hectare. "The young 2001s are currently sterner than the relatively open 2000s," he noted. As I reported in Issue 105, the estate replaced its freisa and dolcetto with barbera and nebbiolo after the 2000 vintage, and now ages its barbera for 21 months in large casks (prior to the 2001 vintage, the barbera was bottled the summer after the harvest). But with that exception, Conterno pointed out, "nothing has changed in the vinification here, and there is never any clarification of the wines prior to bottling. "

Among the new developments at this renowned traditionalist: the Conternos replaced their dolcetto and freisa with nebbiolo and barbera after the 2000 vintage and will now concentrate on just two varieties. Also, beginning with the 2001 vintage, they will age their barbera a full year longer (21 months vs. 9) - "the way the wines were made 30 years ago," according to Roberto Conterno, who added that 2001 was a good time to make this change as this vintage supports longer aging.The Conterno Barolos continue to spend a long time on their skins during the fermentation (a month or more for the Monfortino, a bit less for the Cascina Francia) and are aged exclusively in large old Slavonian ovals. The Cascina Francia is bottled during the fourth year after the vintage and the Monfortino during the seventh year. "Only the use of large barrels enables us to maintain the particular aromatic characteristics of each year," explains Conterno. "The weather conditions we have during July create the terpenes, the classic Barolo perfumes like rose petal and camphor, and we find these aromatic characteristics only after three or four years of aging the wines in larger casks. Certainly barriques give certain advantages but we think that they standardize the wines." Conterno told me he was most fond of '99 and '97 among his recent vintages, but he noted that '98 had a more classical balance.

1998 has always been an interesting vintage for Barolo. Caught between the more hyped 1996 and 1997 on one end, and 2000 and 2001 on the other, the 1998s have often been overlooked. It also didn't help that the wines were first released during a period global economic malaise. While 1998 is not a truly iconic, legendary vintage, these Barolos are great choices for medium-term drinking as a number of wines are entering their early maturity, making them great choices for readers who are cellaring wines from Piedmont's sturdier vintages such as 1996, 1999 and 2001.

Piedmont experienced mostly warm weather in 1998 with spells of drought, though nowhere near the extremes seen in 1997. The wines have always been perfumed and accessible, with an attractive softness to the fruit. Even better, the vast majority of the wines have never shut down to the extent that wines from cooler vintages often do. The 1998s are extremely consistent across the board, and that level of outstanding quality may very well end up being the vintage's strongest attribute. As is typically the case, the Barolos of La Morra and Barolo are the most forward, while those of Serralunga are the freshest. Most of these wines were from my cellar, purchased and cellared since release, although I tasted a few of the wines a second time with the producers.

This wine was tasted over dinner at Da Cesare, Albaretto della Torre (CN), Italy

In May of this year I attended two very special tastings at Cru in New York. Winemakers Roberto Conterno and Mauro Mascarello were in town to present extensive verticals of their Barolos. The first tasting took place in the afternoon and featured current releases as well as a few older vintages. Although I generally avoid trade events because they don't allow enough time to accurately assess each wine, this sit-down tasting, which was hosted by importer Doug Polaner, was extremely well organized. Cru Wine Director Robert Bohr and his staff did an outstanding job in coordinating the service of the wines, which was no small feat. Between the afternoon tasting and the dinner that followed, I don't think I have ever tasted so many profound and emotionally moving wines in a single day! The wines were double decanted a few hours prior to serving. Roberto Conterno kicked off the tasting by talking about his estate and its winemaking philosophy. Giacomo Conterno is without question one of the most historically significant domaines in Piedmont, and all of Italy for that matter. The winery is named after Roberto's grandfather, Giacomo, who was a pioneer in producing, bottling, and exporting high quality wines decades before such practices became common in the region. It was also Giacomo who bottled the first Barolo Riserva in 1920. Giacomo's son Giovanni took over the estate in the early 1960s. Despite his untimely passing last year, Giovanni Conterno remains a towering figure in the Piedmontese landscape. Even today he is spoken about in the most respectful and reverential terms as a great man. “My grandfather's wines were good, but it was my father who really took quality to the next level,” explains Giovanni's son Roberto, who has worked in the winery since 1988. As happens with any generational change, Roberto Conterno receives many questions about the direction he is taking the estate. “A family friend said to me recently ‘your father was a traditionalist, but you are worse!'” recounts Conterno, assuring the audience that nothing will change in this winery's approach now that he is in charge. Conterno makes two Barolos both from the Cascina Francia vineyard, one of the great monopole sites in Piedmont. The vineyard was purchased by Giovanni Conterno in 1974 and measures six hectares. Cascina Francia is made in a traditional style, with natural yeasts and temperature-controlled fermentation and maceration lasting 3-4 weeks. The wines are aged in large Slavonian oak casks and are bottled in the summer of the fourth year following the harvest. In great vintages a special selection of the best fruit is made in the vineyard and that fruit becomes the Barolo Riserva Monfortino, perhaps the single most iconic wine in all of Piedmont. Monfortino is also made with natural yeasts, although fermentation/maceration time is longer, lasting 4-5 weeks, and is carried out without the aid of temperature control. Current vintages are aged seven years in cask, but past vintages have seen as much as 10 years of cask aging before being released. Monfortino is legendary for its extraordinary longevity, which is usually measured in decades.

Among the new developments at this renowned traditionalist: the Conternos replaced their dolcetto and freisa with nebbiolo and barbera after the 2000 vintage and will now concentrate on just two varieties. Also, beginning with the 2001 vintage, they will age their barbera a full year longer (21 months vs. 9) - "the way the wines were made 30 years ago," according to Roberto Conterno, who added that 2001 was a good time to make this change as this vintage supports longer aging.The Conterno Barolos continue to spend a long time on their skins during the fermentation (a month or more for the Monfortino, a bit less for the Cascina Francia) and are aged exclusively in large old Slavonian ovals. The Cascina Francia is bottled during the fourth year after the vintage and the Monfortino during the seventh year. "Only the use of large barrels enables us to maintain the particular aromatic characteristics of each year," explains Conterno. "The weather conditions we have during July create the terpenes, the classic Barolo perfumes like rose petal and camphor, and we find these aromatic characteristics only after three or four years of aging the wines in larger casks. Certainly barriques give certain advantages but we think that they standardize the wines." Conterno told me he was most fond of '99 and '97 among his recent vintages, but he noted that '98 had a more classical balance.

Although the Piedmont has enjoyed a string of highly successful vintages, production at this estate has fluctuated widely in recent years, according to Roberto Conterno, the son of Giovanni. Nineteen ninety-five brought a tiny crop due to hail: just 7,000 bottles of Barolo were produced. The small '96 and '97 vintages yielded about 12,000 bottles apiece, while '98 produced 25,000 bottles and '99 nearly 30,000! Of the recent vintages, says Roberto, '99 and '97 were highest in polyphenol levels. Still, Giovanni Conterno is especially enamored of the '98 vintage, which he says offers "a near-perfect balance of acidity, alcohol and tannins at a very high level." The estate typically harvests late for maximum ripeness; in '99, a year in which many growers picked shortly after the mid-September rainy period, the Conternos began their nebbiolo harvest on October 15.x000D x000D These are Barolos made for the long haul, rather than for early appeal. "My Barolos are best after 20 years, or 30 or 40," notes Giovanni, who has traditionally carried out a month or more of maceration. "I don't know about those four-day fermentations others are doing today," says Conterno. "But obviously, when you do very short fermentations, barriques must be used to give the wines enough tannic structure." As I noted in Issue 81, Conterno two Barolo bottlings theoretically begin with the same material (from Cascina Francia in Serralunga) but receive different vinification and elevage. The normale spends three to four weeks on the skins and then ages in large casks before being bottled the fourth July after the vintage, while the Monfortino spends up to 35 days on the skins and is bottled seven or eight years after the vintage.

This wine was tasted over dinner at the 9th Annual Wine Dinner and Auction to Benefit The Mount Sinai Hospital in February 2012.

In May of this year I attended two very special tastings at Cru in New York. Winemakers Roberto Conterno and Mauro Mascarello were in town to present extensive verticals of their Barolos. The first tasting took place in the afternoon and featured current releases as well as a few older vintages. Although I generally avoid trade events because they don't allow enough time to accurately assess each wine, this sit-down tasting, which was hosted by importer Doug Polaner, was extremely well organized. Cru Wine Director Robert Bohr and his staff did an outstanding job in coordinating the service of the wines, which was no small feat. Between the afternoon tasting and the dinner that followed, I don't think I have ever tasted so many profound and emotionally moving wines in a single day! The wines were double decanted a few hours prior to serving. Roberto Conterno kicked off the tasting by talking about his estate and its winemaking philosophy. Giacomo Conterno is without question one of the most historically significant domaines in Piedmont, and all of Italy for that matter. The winery is named after Roberto's grandfather, Giacomo, who was a pioneer in producing, bottling, and exporting high quality wines decades before such practices became common in the region. It was also Giacomo who bottled the first Barolo Riserva in 1920. Giacomo's son Giovanni took over the estate in the early 1960s. Despite his untimely passing last year, Giovanni Conterno remains a towering figure in the Piedmontese landscape. Even today he is spoken about in the most respectful and reverential terms as a great man. “My grandfather's wines were good, but it was my father who really took quality to the next level,” explains Giovanni's son Roberto, who has worked in the winery since 1988. As happens with any generational change, Roberto Conterno receives many questions about the direction he is taking the estate. “A family friend said to me recently ‘your father was a traditionalist, but you are worse!'” recounts Conterno, assuring the audience that nothing will change in this winery's approach now that he is in charge. Conterno makes two Barolos both from the Cascina Francia vineyard, one of the great monopole sites in Piedmont. The vineyard was purchased by Giovanni Conterno in 1974 and measures six hectares. Cascina Francia is made in a traditional style, with natural yeasts and temperature-controlled fermentation and maceration lasting 3-4 weeks. The wines are aged in large Slavonian oak casks and are bottled in the summer of the fourth year following the harvest. In great vintages a special selection of the best fruit is made in the vineyard and that fruit becomes the Barolo Riserva Monfortino, perhaps the single most iconic wine in all of Piedmont. Monfortino is also made with natural yeasts, although fermentation/maceration time is longer, lasting 4-5 weeks, and is carried out without the aid of temperature control. Current vintages are aged seven years in cask, but past vintages have seen as much as 10 years of cask aging before being released. Monfortino is legendary for its extraordinary longevity, which is usually measured in decades.

Although the Piedmont has enjoyed a string of highly successful vintages, production at this estate has fluctuated widely in recent years, according to Roberto Conterno, the son of Giovanni. Nineteen ninety-five brought a tiny crop due to hail: just 7,000 bottles of Barolo were produced. The small '96 and '97 vintages yielded about 12,000 bottles apiece, while '98 produced 25,000 bottles and '99 nearly 30,000! Of the recent vintages, says Roberto, '99 and '97 were highest in polyphenol levels. Still, Giovanni Conterno is especially enamored of the '98 vintage, which he says offers "a near-perfect balance of acidity, alcohol and tannins at a very high level." The estate typically harvests late for maximum ripeness; in '99, a year in which many growers picked shortly after the mid-September rainy period, the Conternos began their nebbiolo harvest on October 15.x000D x000D These are Barolos made for the long haul, rather than for early appeal. "My Barolos are best after 20 years, or 30 or 40," notes Giovanni, who has traditionally carried out a month or more of maceration. "I don't know about those four-day fermentations others are doing today," says Conterno. "But obviously, when you do very short fermentations, barriques must be used to give the wines enough tannic structure." As I noted in Issue 81, Conterno two Barolo bottlings theoretically begin with the same material (from Cascina Francia in Serralunga) but receive different vinification and elevage. The normale spends three to four weeks on the skins and then ages in large casks before being bottled the fourth July after the vintage, while the Monfortino spends up to 35 days on the skins and is bottled seven or eight years after the vintage.

Giovanni Conterno, joined in recent years by his son Roberto, continues to make some of Barolo most monumental wines, using traditional methods in an airy, spotless winery. Conterno two Barolo bottlings theoretically begin with identical material (from Cascina Francia in Serralunga) but receive different vinification and levage The normale spends three to four weeks on the skins and then ages in large casks before being bottled the fourth July after the vintage. The Monfortino spends up to 35 days on the skins and is bottled seven or eight years after the vintage. But 1995 represents an exception to this rule, as Conterno made the Monfortino bottling from vines that were less affected by hail. Like a few of his neighbors, Conterno describes '97 as a year for the journalists and '96 as truly great, but with low quantities due to hail. Even though he prefers '96 today, however, he admits that '97 may have at least as much long term potential. The Barolos from both years will be bottled with about 14.2% alcohol, and extract levels are roughly the same at slightly over 30 grams per liter (the '95 is also in this range).

Readers who want to get a sense of how much the wines have developed at Giacomo Conterno could start by tasting the 1996s and comparing them to a recent vintage with similar structural attributes, the most obvious being 2010. When the 1996s were released, they were impenetrable and hard as nails. The 2010s are also massively structured, but much more available at a similar stage in their lives. These are two gorgeous wines from Giovanni and Yvonne Conterno. It may seem hard to believe today, but when these wines were first released, they were widely available.

This wine was tasted as part of a charity dinner at Eleven Madison Park to benefit Haiti in June, 2010.

In May of this year I attended two very special tastings at Cru in New York. Winemakers Roberto Conterno and Mauro Mascarello were in town to present extensive verticals of their Barolos. The first tasting took place in the afternoon and featured current releases as well as a few older vintages. Although I generally avoid trade events because they don't allow enough time to accurately assess each wine, this sit-down tasting, which was hosted by importer Doug Polaner, was extremely well organized. Cru Wine Director Robert Bohr and his staff did an outstanding job in coordinating the service of the wines, which was no small feat. Between the afternoon tasting and the dinner that followed, I don't think I have ever tasted so many profound and emotionally moving wines in a single day! The wines were double decanted a few hours prior to serving. Roberto Conterno kicked off the tasting by talking about his estate and its winemaking philosophy. Giacomo Conterno is without question one of the most historically significant domaines in Piedmont, and all of Italy for that matter. The winery is named after Roberto's grandfather, Giacomo, who was a pioneer in producing, bottling, and exporting high quality wines decades before such practices became common in the region. It was also Giacomo who bottled the first Barolo Riserva in 1920. Giacomo's son Giovanni took over the estate in the early 1960s. Despite his untimely passing last year, Giovanni Conterno remains a towering figure in the Piedmontese landscape. Even today he is spoken about in the most respectful and reverential terms as a great man. “My grandfather's wines were good, but it was my father who really took quality to the next level,” explains Giovanni's son Roberto, who has worked in the winery since 1988. As happens with any generational change, Roberto Conterno receives many questions about the direction he is taking the estate. “A family friend said to me recently ‘your father was a traditionalist, but you are worse!'” recounts Conterno, assuring the audience that nothing will change in this winery's approach now that he is in charge. Conterno makes two Barolos both from the Cascina Francia vineyard, one of the great monopole sites in Piedmont. The vineyard was purchased by Giovanni Conterno in 1974 and measures six hectares. Cascina Francia is made in a traditional style, with natural yeasts and temperature-controlled fermentation and maceration lasting 3-4 weeks. The wines are aged in large Slavonian oak casks and are bottled in the summer of the fourth year following the harvest. In great vintages a special selection of the best fruit is made in the vineyard and that fruit becomes the Barolo Riserva Monfortino, perhaps the single most iconic wine in all of Piedmont. Monfortino is also made with natural yeasts, although fermentation/maceration time is longer, lasting 4-5 weeks, and is carried out without the aid of temperature control. Current vintages are aged seven years in cask, but past vintages have seen as much as 10 years of cask aging before being released. Monfortino is legendary for its extraordinary longevity, which is usually measured in decades.

Although the Piedmont has enjoyed a string of highly successful vintages, production at this estate has fluctuated widely in recent years, according to Roberto Conterno, the son of Giovanni. Nineteen ninety-five brought a tiny crop due to hail: just 7,000 bottles of Barolo were produced. The small '96 and '97 vintages yielded about 12,000 bottles apiece, while '98 produced 25,000 bottles and '99 nearly 30,000! Of the recent vintages, says Roberto, '99 and '97 were highest in polyphenol levels. Still, Giovanni Conterno is especially enamored of the '98 vintage, which he says offers "a near-perfect balance of acidity, alcohol and tannins at a very high level." The estate typically harvests late for maximum ripeness; in '99, a year in which many growers picked shortly after the mid-September rainy period, the Conternos began their nebbiolo harvest on October 15.x000D x000D These are Barolos made for the long haul, rather than for early appeal. "My Barolos are best after 20 years, or 30 or 40," notes Giovanni, who has traditionally carried out a month or more of maceration. "I don't know about those four-day fermentations others are doing today," says Conterno. "But obviously, when you do very short fermentations, barriques must be used to give the wines enough tannic structure." As I noted in Issue 81, Conterno two Barolo bottlings theoretically begin with the same material (from Cascina Francia in Serralunga) but receive different vinification and elevage. The normale spends three to four weeks on the skins and then ages in large casks before being bottled the fourth July after the vintage, while the Monfortino spends up to 35 days on the skins and is bottled seven or eight years after the vintage.

Giovanni Conterno, joined in recent years by his son Roberto, continues to make some of Barolo most monumental wines, using traditional methods in an airy, spotless winery. Conterno two Barolo bottlings theoretically begin with identical material (from Cascina Francia in Serralunga) but receive different vinification and levage The normale spends three to four weeks on the skins and then ages in large casks before being bottled the fourth July after the vintage. The Monfortino spends up to 35 days on the skins and is bottled seven or eight years after the vintage. But 1995 represents an exception to this rule, as Conterno made the Monfortino bottling from vines that were less affected by hail. Like a few of his neighbors, Conterno describes '97 as a year for the journalists and '96 as truly great, but with low quantities due to hail. Even though he prefers '96 today, however, he admits that '97 may have at least as much long term potential. The Barolos from both years will be bottled with about 14.2% alcohol, and extract levels are roughly the same at slightly over 30 grams per liter (the '95 is also in this range).

Giovanni Conterno, joined in recent years by his son Roberto, continues to make some of Barolo most monumental wines, using traditional methods in an airy, spotless winery. Conterno two Barolo bottlings theoretically begin with identical material (from Cascina Francia in Serralunga) but receive different vinification and levage The normale spends three to four weeks on the skins and then ages in large casks before being bottled the fourth July after the vintage. The Monfortino spends up to 35 days on the skins and is bottled seven or eight years after the vintage. But 1995 represents an exception to this rule, as Conterno made the Monfortino bottling from vines that were less affected by hail. Like a few of his neighbors, Conterno describes '97 as a year for the journalists and '96 as truly great, but with low quantities due to hail. Even though he prefers '96 today, however, he admits that '97 may have at least as much long term potential. The Barolos from both years will be bottled with about 14.2% alcohol, and extract levels are roughly the same at slightly over 30 grams per liter (the '95 is also in this range).

Giovanni Conterno, joined in recent years by his son Roberto, continues to make some of Barolo most monumental wines, using traditional methods in an airy, spotless winery. Conterno two Barolo bottlings theoretically begin with identical material (from Cascina Francia in Serralunga) but receive different vinification and levage The normale spends three to four weeks on the skins and then ages in large casks before being bottled the fourth July after the vintage. The Monfortino spends up to 35 days on the skins and is bottled seven or eight years after the vintage. But 1995 represents an exception to this rule, as Conterno made the Monfortino bottling from vines that were less affected by hail. Like a few of his neighbors, Conterno describes '97 as a year for the journalists and '96 as truly great, but with low quantities due to hail. Even though he prefers '96 today, however, he admits that '97 may have at least as much long term potential. The Barolos from both years will be bottled with about 14.2% alcohol, and extract levels are roughly the same at slightly over 30 grams per liter (the '95 is also in this range).

This wine was tasted during La Festa del Barolo's Gala Dinner in April 2013.

"The spirit of sharing and camaraderie the world’s best wines inspire was in evidence at La Festa del Barolo, where I was fortunate to enjoy a range of emotionally moving, transcendental wines." Antonio Galloni

This wine was tasted as part of a charity dinner at Eleven Madison Park to benefit Haiti in June, 2010.

This wine was tasted as part of a charity dinner at Eleven Madison Park to benefit Haiti in June, 2010.

Giacomo Conterno's Barolos Cascina Francia and Monfortino are produced from the Cascina Francia vineyard in Serralunga, typically one of the last vineyards in the region to be harvested. Both wines are made along rigorously traditional methods, with long fermentations and extended aging in oak that reaches seven years for the Monfortino.

This wine was tasted as a part of Festa di Barolo 2008.

In May of this year I attended two very special tastings at Cru in New York. Winemakers Roberto Conterno and Mauro Mascarello were in town to present extensive verticals of their Barolos. The first tasting took place in the afternoon and featured current releases as well as a few older vintages. Although I generally avoid trade events because they don't allow enough time to accurately assess each wine, this sit-down tasting, which was hosted by importer Doug Polaner, was extremely well organized. Cru Wine Director Robert Bohr and his staff did an outstanding job in coordinating the service of the wines, which was no small feat. Between the afternoon tasting and the dinner that followed, I don't think I have ever tasted so many profound and emotionally moving wines in a single day! The wines were double decanted a few hours prior to serving. Roberto Conterno kicked off the tasting by talking about his estate and its winemaking philosophy. Giacomo Conterno is without question one of the most historically significant domaines in Piedmont, and all of Italy for that matter. The winery is named after Roberto's grandfather, Giacomo, who was a pioneer in producing, bottling, and exporting high quality wines decades before such practices became common in the region. It was also Giacomo who bottled the first Barolo Riserva in 1920. Giacomo's son Giovanni took over the estate in the early 1960s. Despite his untimely passing last year, Giovanni Conterno remains a towering figure in the Piedmontese landscape. Even today he is spoken about in the most respectful and reverential terms as a great man. “My grandfather's wines were good, but it was my father who really took quality to the next level,” explains Giovanni's son Roberto, who has worked in the winery since 1988. As happens with any generational change, Roberto Conterno receives many questions about the direction he is taking the estate. “A family friend said to me recently ‘your father was a traditionalist, but you are worse!'” recounts Conterno, assuring the audience that nothing will change in this winery's approach now that he is in charge. Conterno makes two Barolos both from the Cascina Francia vineyard, one of the great monopole sites in Piedmont. The vineyard was purchased by Giovanni Conterno in 1974 and measures six hectares. Cascina Francia is made in a traditional style, with natural yeasts and temperature-controlled fermentation and maceration lasting 3-4 weeks. The wines are aged in large Slavonian oak casks and are bottled in the summer of the fourth year following the harvest. In great vintages a special selection of the best fruit is made in the vineyard and that fruit becomes the Barolo Riserva Monfortino, perhaps the single most iconic wine in all of Piedmont. Monfortino is also made with natural yeasts, although fermentation/maceration time is longer, lasting 4-5 weeks, and is carried out without the aid of temperature control. Current vintages are aged seven years in cask, but past vintages have seen as much as 10 years of cask aging before being released. Monfortino is legendary for its extraordinary longevity, which is usually measured in decades.

Giacomo Conterno's Barolos Cascina Francia and Monfortino are produced from the Cascina Francia vineyard in Serralunga, typically one of the last vineyards in the region to be harvested. Both wines are made along rigorously traditional methods, with long fermentations and extended aging in oak that reaches seven years for the Monfortino.

In May of this year I attended two very special tastings at Cru in New York. Winemakers Roberto Conterno and Mauro Mascarello were in town to present extensive verticals of their Barolos. The first tasting took place in the afternoon and featured current releases as well as a few older vintages. Although I generally avoid trade events because they don't allow enough time to accurately assess each wine, this sit-down tasting, which was hosted by importer Doug Polaner, was extremely well organized. Cru Wine Director Robert Bohr and his staff did an outstanding job in coordinating the service of the wines, which was no small feat. Between the afternoon tasting and the dinner that followed, I don't think I have ever tasted so many profound and emotionally moving wines in a single day! The wines were double decanted a few hours prior to serving. Roberto Conterno kicked off the tasting by talking about his estate and its winemaking philosophy. Giacomo Conterno is without question one of the most historically significant domaines in Piedmont, and all of Italy for that matter. The winery is named after Roberto's grandfather, Giacomo, who was a pioneer in producing, bottling, and exporting high quality wines decades before such practices became common in the region. It was also Giacomo who bottled the first Barolo Riserva in 1920. Giacomo's son Giovanni took over the estate in the early 1960s. Despite his untimely passing last year, Giovanni Conterno remains a towering figure in the Piedmontese landscape. Even today he is spoken about in the most respectful and reverential terms as a great man. “My grandfather's wines were good, but it was my father who really took quality to the next level,” explains Giovanni's son Roberto, who has worked in the winery since 1988. As happens with any generational change, Roberto Conterno receives many questions about the direction he is taking the estate. “A family friend said to me recently ‘your father was a traditionalist, but you are worse!'” recounts Conterno, assuring the audience that nothing will change in this winery's approach now that he is in charge. Conterno makes two Barolos both from the Cascina Francia vineyard, one of the great monopole sites in Piedmont. The vineyard was purchased by Giovanni Conterno in 1974 and measures six hectares. Cascina Francia is made in a traditional style, with natural yeasts and temperature-controlled fermentation and maceration lasting 3-4 weeks. The wines are aged in large Slavonian oak casks and are bottled in the summer of the fourth year following the harvest. In great vintages a special selection of the best fruit is made in the vineyard and that fruit becomes the Barolo Riserva Monfortino, perhaps the single most iconic wine in all of Piedmont. Monfortino is also made with natural yeasts, although fermentation/maceration time is longer, lasting 4-5 weeks, and is carried out without the aid of temperature control. Current vintages are aged seven years in cask, but past vintages have seen as much as 10 years of cask aging before being released. Monfortino is legendary for its extraordinary longevity, which is usually measured in decades.

This wine was tasted as part of a charity dinner at Eleven Madison Park to benefit Haiti in June, 2010.

This wine was tasted as part of a charity dinner at Eleven Madison Park to benefit Haiti in June, 2010.