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95 By Robert Parker
One of the great Barolo Monfortino's is the 1995, which I hope will be bottled and released before 2005. This was the finest wine I tasted in Conterno's cellars (everything between current releases and 2000). Significantly concentrated, it represents a tiny crop because of hail damage. The wine reveals the essence of licorice, kirsch, smoke, red currant and cherries, as well as the tell-tale rose petal and licorice notes. It is ripe and full-bodied, with sweet fruit, copious glycerin, and a seamless finish that lasts for nearly 45 seconds. As the wine sat in the glass, it became even more floral and concentrated. There is abundant tannin, and the wine will undoubtedly taste more structured when it is released. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040.
Producer
Giacomo Conterno
Without a doubt, Giacomo Conterno is one of the greatest producers in Barolo. Though they have viticultural roots going back to the 18th century, they only began producing Barolo in 1908 when the family was running a tavern in San Giuseppe, near Monforte d’Alba. In the 1920s, they were considered one of the first producers to have bottled Barolo at a time when Barolo was sold in casks and in demi-johns. In the 1930s, the winery started making Barolo Monfortino which had a vast ageing potential. In 1954, the winery went on to produce a Barolo and a Barolo Riserva and in 1961 the two sons Giovanni and Aldo took over the family business. Aldo, however, did not share the house’s purely traditionalist philosophy and in 1969 he created his own estate (Poderi Aldo Conterno). In 1974 with the purchase of the Cascina Francia vineyard, the winery put an end to the outsourcing of grapes and in 1980 the first vintage from their own grapes was produced under the name Barolo Cascina Francia. Today, the ultimate and purest expression of Barolo can be found in the bottles bearing Giacomo Conterno’s name. These wines are rich, powerful, well-structured and capable of long ageing in bottle.