It’s been a while, alas. The last vintage of this legendary wine was 2015. Skipping forward to a year of natural richness and concentration, the Giacomo Conterno 2019 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is a magnificently executed wine. It carefully reins in the soaring power of Nebbiolo and whittles it down to extreme finesse and precision. This is the essence of the grape with no extra bells or whistles. Roberto Conterno tells me he chose not to make Monfortino in 2016 because he considered 2015 to be a superior vintage. (There is an image problem with 2015, he concedes, because 2016 was more consistent overall than 2015; however, his experience with 2015 is better.) The 2017 vintage was a contender for Monfortino, but the wine was not made. The 2018 vintage also came close to production, but a lack of diurnal temperature shifts at the end of the growing season disqualified it, Roberto Conterno explains. His heart settled on 2019, a vintage that reminds him of the tension and energy found in 2013. However, the DNA of the 2019 vintage is slightly different because this edition sees 27% fruit blended from Arione. This site adds finesse and elegance. The rest of the blend represents a special selection from Francia, and that is where this wine gets its power and age-worthy tannins. The 2019 will be released in October 2025.
Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RP
Demonstrating the meticulous precision for which the estate is known, the 2019 Monfortino is a thoroughbred. I was able to taste it on a couple of occasions during its maturation, after the blend of Francia and Arione was made. Since bottling last spring, it has retreated into itself and now just hints at black tea, truffle and dark wet earth. The tannins are still rigid and stubborn, though very sophisticated and inextricable from the fruit, while the acidity is simply salivating. Glimpses of baked earth, granite and graphite appear, but truly, this will take years to unfold. For now, it’s all iron fist. The yet-to-be-bottled 2020 which I tasted alongside will likely be approachable long before this.
Decanter Magazine | 100 DEC
The 2019 Barolo Riserva Monfortino has closed down considerably since I last tasted it. Then again, the 2019 is a very serious Monfortino that includes the entirety of Conterno’s production from both Francia and Arione. Today, the tannins are pretty imposing, but modern Monfortinos have shown an ability to assimilate their tannin with much less time in bottle than was once required. Production for the 2019 is on the higher side because of the blending of sites, so readers should have a relatively easy time sourcing this.
Vinous Media | 99 VM
A jeweled ruby color, the 2019 Barolo Riserva Monfortino was tasted from botti and is the final blend. As of March 2024, it was still a few months away from being bottled and was scheduled to spend another year in bottle prior to its release. Having tasted this wine a year ago, it exceeded my expectations at this tasting and is really coming into its own now. Roberto Conterno says the vintage reminds him of 2013, but he thinks the addition of some Arione in the final blend of the 2019 may explains why it seems to have a touch more finesse than the 2013. It is a fantastically structured wine that offers a great deal of pure, compact richness in this vintage, with expressive floral aromas that unfold beautifully in the glass. It continues to build in intensity and focus through the palate, with precise tension and length. I anticipate this to be a wine with tremendous longevity in the coming decades.
Jeb Dunnuck | 98-100 JD
A complex and deep wine that’s as graceful as it is powerful. Aromas of earth, strawberries, dried cherries, restrained orange peel, sweet dried violets, potpourri and licorice root. Full-bodied and concentrated, with graphite flavors and thick, dusty, muscular yet ripe tannins. Still youthful and vibrant, with refreshing acidity. More impressive on the palate than on the nose, suggesting it needs time to fully evolve. Available in October. Drink from 2026.
James Suckling | 98 JS
