*GIACOMO CONTERNO BAROLO MONFORTINO
2000 GIACOMO CONTERNO BAROLO “MONFORTINO” Yet another spectacular vintage from GIACOMO CONTERNO has just arrived at VINTAGES. Once again, uber-critic Robert M. Parker is left “speechless.”

VINTAGES is thrilled to offer the legendary Barolo Monfortino from the most respected winery in Piedmont, and one of the finest in the world: GIACOMO CONTERNO. Conterno’s reputation is unsurpassed in Italy, and it has earned its place in the top echelon of wineries in the world. “Cantina Conterno” began in 1908 when Giovanni Conterno started making wine. Three generations later, Roberto Conterno continues the estate’s uncompromising winemaking traditions and, incredibly, has pushed the bar even higher for outstanding, legacy-quality wines year after year. VINTAGES has been fortunate to develop a personal relationship with Roberto Conterno, and the privilege of securing a quantity of Giacomo Conterno Monfortino and Cascina Francia Barolos.

In March 2007, we were asked to host ROBERTO CONTERNO during his visit to Boston, and we arranged a spectacular wine dinner at No. 9 Park restaurant. In April and May 2007, Eric Broege visited with Roberto Conterno at the winery in Monforte d’Alba to taste the new releases, including 2000 Barolo Monfortino. Below are the just-released reviews from Robert Parker at The Wine Advocate – long, but justifiably so.

2000 GIACOMO CONTERNO BAROLO MONFORTINO RISERVA $320 (1.5L $725) 97 pts. (Six bottle price= $288/btl. 12 bottle price=$272/btl. Compare to Zachy’s “futures” price of $375 net/bottle + NY sales tax) “Conterno’s 2000 Barolo Riserva Monfortino explodes from the glass with a luxurious, expansive personality that leaves me speechless. Endowed with generous ripe fruit, it is a seamless, seductive Monfortino that possesses incredible length as well as purity in a style that perfectly encapsulates the qualities of the vintage. With air, suggestions of roses, cocoa, tar and anise emerge to complete this magnificent expression of Barolo from Serralunga. Despite its seemingly approachable personality this wine has plenty of underlying structure. I suggest tasting the wine as soon as it appears on retail shelves as it is almost certain to shut down at some point in the near future. As for the magical question: When will the wine be ready? Looking at other warm vintages, the 1985 is peaking but has plenty of life ahead of it, and the 1990 is still an infant, so my best guess is that the 2000 will start drinking well around age 20, but personally I am not sure I will have the patience to wait that long. Low yields, a long fermentation time of 4-5 weeks with no temperature control and seven years of cask aging remain the rule for Monfortino. The string of Monfortinos spanning 1996 to 2001 (and possibly 2002) must surely be a record. I can’t think of another estate in the world that has produced six consecutive vintages of this profound quality. The 2000 Monfortino ranks slightly behind the 1999 and 2001, but that may be splitting hairs at this very high level. It is another stellar effort from Giacomo Conterno. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030. 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 missing 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 consistently outstanding wines in his venerable firm’s long history. 97 points.” –Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2003 GIACOMO CONTERNO BAROLO “Cascina Francia” $110 (1.5L $275) 94 pts. The 2003 Barolo Cascina Francia is a remarkable wine for the vintage. This deep, powerful Barolo reveals awesome richness and an almost liqueur-like quality to its fruit that is balanced by the chalky mineral notes that provide freshness on the finish and help convey an impression of notable balance. In 2003 there is no Monfortino, and the Cascina Francia surely benefits from the addition of that juice which is mostly felt in the wine’s depth. Resisting the temptation to harvest too early, Roberto Conterno waited until October 8 to start picking in his Cascina Francia vineyard, long after most producers had already brought the fruit in. He had the benefit of the late September rains that helped restore at least a little freshness to the fruit, and as a result his 2003 Cascina Francia doesn’t have the aggressive tannins that plague so many wines. Simply put, this is a stunning Barolo made all the more notable by the challenging conditions the vintage presented. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2023. This is another set of superb releases from Giacomo Conterno, one of the bastions of traditionally made Barolos. 94 pts.” –Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2005 GIACOMO CONTERNO BARBERA d’ALBA $32 92 pts. (SOLD OUT) “Conterno’s 2005 Barbera d’Alba Cascina Francia is a terrific effort. Its silky aromas meld seamlessly onto the palate, where vibrant layers of dark fruit come to life. As it sits in the glass, licorice, tar, smoke and mineral notes become more prominent, adding further complexity to this irresistibly sensual wine. Long, sweet and pure, it continued to evolve beautifully over the day I followed it. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2015. 92 pts. “–Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

2000 ALDO CONTERNO BAROLO RISERVA “GRAN BUSSIA” $275 93 pts. “The 2000 Barolo Riserva Granbussia is unquestionably a great effort. It presents a gorgeous, spiced nose followed by layers of sweet red fruit that open onto the palate with notable concentration and length, all while maintaining a restrained sense of balance for the vintage, with soft tannins that make it a highly attractive wine even at this young age. It should be at its finest between ages 8 and 20. Whereas the Riserva at many estates is the most powerful wine, at Aldo Conterno the Riserva is the most elegant. 93 pts.”—The Wine Advocate

2004 ANGELO GAJA BARBARESCO $205 93 pts. (1.5L $435) “…emotionally moving and utterly profound.”—The Wine Advocate

The 2004 Barbaresco reveals fresh, perfumed aromatics that lead to layers of crushed flowers, spices and sweet raspberries. This is a wine of rare class, elegance and pure breed. It offers outstanding length and silky, elegant tannins to round out the inviting finish. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2024. Angelo Gaja and long-time oenologist Guido Rivella produced some of the most monumental wines of their long, storied partnership in 2004. Although I admire Gaja’s wines, especially for their consistency, I rarely find them this emotionally moving and utterly profound. The stable weather and cool, tempering evenings towards the end of the growing season allowed Gaja and Rivella to harvest fairly late in 2004. I remember passing by Gaja’s Barbaresco vineyards in October of that year and seeing fruit still waiting to be picked long after most producers had already brought the fruit in. Gaja’s 2004s from Barbaresco are especially breathtaking for their clarity and precision. The wines also seem less internationally-styled than in the past. Readers fortunate enough to possess the means to acquire these wines won’t want to miss them! 93 pts.” –The Wine Advocate

CANTINA DEL PINO

“Readers who are new to Barbaresco and want to experience the essence of what these wines are all about without spending a fortune should start here. Cantina del Pino’s 2004 Barbaresco offers phenomenal quality at this level.” –The Wine Advocate

We are thrilled that our friend, Renato Vacca, is getting the recognition he deserves for his outstanding Barbarescos and Barberas. His wines have always been outrageous bargains – even with an increase in price, they are still excellent values. A featured wine producer and “discovery” from VINTAGES. BRAVO!

2003 CANTINA DEL PINO BARBARESCO “Ovello” $50 92 pts. (1.5L $115; 3L $225) “The 2003 Barbaresco Ovello is a terrific effort from (Renato) Vacca. It displays more color as well as weight than the Barbaresco normale with deep, penetrating aromatics, richly layered suggestions of sweet fruit, toasted oak and menthol and finely-integrated tannins. Showing plenty of stuffing to fill its ample frame, it is still a baby and will require a few years to absorb the oak, but it is already shaping up as one of the vintage’s successes. 92 pts.” –The Wine Advocate

2004 CANTINA DEL PINO BARBARESCO (Normale) $38 92 pts. “Proprietor Renato Vacca has emerged as one of the leading lights of Barbaresco within just the last few years. His 2004 Barbaresco is another super effort. It reveals fresh aromatics with just the lightest touch of oak followed by sweet, perfumed fruit that blossoms on the palate. Made in an accessible, approachable style, it offers notable purity of expression and terrific overall harmony. Readers who are new to Barbaresco and want to experience the essence of what these wines are all about without spending a fortune should start here. Cantina del Pino’s 2004 Barbaresco offers phenomenal quality at this level. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2016.”

2005 CANTINA DEL PINO BARBERA $25 Wow! Renato’s 2005 Barbera just came in last week, and we had to taste it right away. And then again to make sure. Yes, Cantina del Pino has made a perfect example of Barbera; the only problem– there’s not enough to go around! Only 200 cases total are produced, and we got as much as we could in West Concord – but truthfully, there’s not much left. Made from old vines Barbera in the heart of the Ovello district in Barbaresco, it’s a glass of sweet perfumed fruit, with characteristic mineral notes, soft tannins. Almost too drinkable.

Tuscany – Legend/ Iconoclast MONTEVERTINE

“The finest 100% Sangiovese bottlings, including Flaccianello, Percarlo, Le Pergole Torte, and Cepparello are among the most successful wines in 2003.” –Wine Advocate

2003 MONTEVERTINE “LA PERGOLE TORTE” $100 92 pts. From the town of Radda, in the heart of Chianti hills, Montevertine uses 100% Sangiovese to make wines of power and purity. “The 2003 Le Pergole Torte is an atypically rich, powerful version of this wine but the higher altitude of the vines, which extend to 550 meters, have helped preserve some freshness. It offers a compelling array of black cherry, licorice, and mineral notes in a style that expresses the ripeness of the vintage, yet is balanced by a classic sense of structure. Still very intense today, it will require a few years in bottle to settle down and may ultimately merit a higher score. 92 pts.”