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The 2004 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is drop-dead gorgeous. I have tasted the wine multiple times from barrel and three times from bottle and never been anything less than blown away. The 2004 is a subtle, layered Monfortino that captures the sheer elegance and finesse of this great vintage. It is sweet, perfumed, silky and utterly mind-blowing. From barrel it has always been a 100 point wine, but it has just been bottled and naturally a bit closed in on itself. Still, with some time in the glass its silky, perfumed fruit and dazzling class come to life. The 2004 is remarkably harmonious for such a young wine. Readers will have much fun debating which is the greatest Monfortino of recent years. Could it be the 1996, 1999 or 2002 for their huge structure and classicism? Or, is it the 1997 for its opulence? What if the dark horse 1998 and 2000 steal the show? Personally, I adore the 2001 and 2004 for their completeness, but the 2004 is the sexiest of them all. Sadly, 2004 is also the year Giovanni Conterno passed away, but one can’t escape the feeling his spirit lives in this wine. Kudos to Roberto Conterno and his team for this magnificent, thrilling Barolo. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2044.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 Monfortini were still in cask. 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. Readers who want to learn more about the 2011 harvest at Conterno may want to take a look at my video interview with Roberto Conterno.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2004 Barolo Riserva Monfortino confirms its place as one of the finest Monfortinos ever made. From magnum, it is so special. The long growing season produced a Monfortino of unusual silkiness, perfume and elegance. In many ways, the 2004 is the first modern Monfortino – the first vintage that was gorgeous right out of the gate, qualities it shares with the 2008 and 2014, also wines from later-ripening vintages. Soaring aromatics and silky tannins give the 2004 so much sheer appeal that recall the 1982. The 2004 has long been one of my favorites, as it is again on this night.Vinous Media | 100 VM

Still a baby, the 2004 Cristal Rosé has begun to put on considerable weight over the last few years, which only serves to balance the focus and tension that have always been present. Even at eleven years of age, the 2004 Cristal Rosé remains tightly wound and a touch austere at times. Hints of orange peel, white pepper and cranberry add an exotic flair on the deeply expressive finish. Readers who can find the 2004 should not hesitate, as it is simply stunning by any measure.Vinous Media | 98+ VMFew of the noble wines of the world have the effortless grace of Cristal Rosé. The pinot noir for the blend, planted in the 1960s, grows in the center of the slope in Aÿ. Its flavors are more focused on the soil than fruit, as if the vines are bent on extracting the scent of fossilized seashells from the limestone their roots explore. Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon blends the pinot noir with 40 percent chardonnay from Avize, creating a wine with flavors that reach the horizon line, and an ethereal fragrance that last for minutes after each taste, bright, weightless, elusive and grand.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 98 W&SWith red berry and currant aromas on the pure and salty, complex and delicately vinous nose, the 2004 Cristal Rosé is a juicy but structured, vibrantly fresh and energetic cuvée with very fine tannins, great lightness, finesse and elegance. Tasted in New York, November 2018.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP

The 2004 Masseto, one of my personal favorites, is positively stellar. I have always adored the 2004 for its silky tannins, stunning aromatic presence and total finesse, all of which are on display today. Beautifully pure to the long finish and profoundly beautiful in every way, the 2004 has it all. It was a textbook vintage that only presented one real challenge, and that was moderating the naturally high yields that resulted from an unblocking of energy the vines had held in store from the previous year. Where producers moderated yields, the wines are often stunning, as is very much the case here. If forced to choose only one vintage of Masseto I could own or drink it would be the 2004.Antonio Galloni | 100 AGEven better than the highly acclaimed 2001 vintage, this Merlot from a tiny, clay soil vineyard in Bolgheri is just about everything you’ve ever dreamed of tasting. Gorgeous, generous, voluptuous, cheerful, succulent and intense: Masseto is all those things. The aromas are seamless and capture the essence of chocolate fudge, sweet cherry, blackberry, spice and vanilla. It boasts thick, dense extraction, excellent structure and amazing persistence.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WERipe cherry, mulberry, coffee and spice flavors mark this complex bouquet. Lush, intense and firmly structured, with savory elements of leather, tobacco and wild herbs. The fine, juicy finish is extremely long. Merlot.—Non-blind Masseto vertical (October 2017). Best from 2020 through 2035. 2,680 cases made, 555 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe stunning 2004 Masseto (100% Merlot) presents layers of sweet jammy dark fruit and mineral notes that burst forth from the glass with notable length, purity and delineation. It is a decidedly elegant and super-refined Masseto that continues to integrate its 100% new oak well, showing extraordinary class and fine, silky-textured tannins that caress the palate on the long finish. The 2004 will be hard to resist in its youth as it is incredibly delicious even now, yet it promises to develop gracefully to at least age 20. It is a phenomenal effort that is not to be missed. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2024.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPA more complete vintage compared to the likes of 2013 or 2011, this is ruby in the glass and focused on red fruits, framboise sauvage, dry mushrooms, leather and wet earth. Flavours of plum and cherry are followed by ground coffee on the finish. This Masseto is firm, with acidity pushing initially silky then extracted and super-chewy tannins. Still nervous and rugged despite the ageing, yet showing layers of enticing complexity, it clamours for food. Drinking Window 2021 - 2030.Decanter | 96 DECThere is such precision and refinement to this Masseto with a freshness and deliciousness that makes you want to drink it now. It full to medium bodied, with lovely density and a bright acidity with fine tannins. Goes on for minutes on the finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JS