2008 Barolo Riserva Monfortino

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 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.

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.