The VAULT

wines

A comparison of two 1961s from Giacomo Conterno is next. Conterno’s 1961 Barolo Riserva Speciale Monfortino is, not surprisingly, deeper and more intense in all of its dimensions. Iron, smoke, graphite, leather and sweet tobacco wrap around a core of dark fruit in a Barolo that packs a serious punch, especially considering its age. This is a superb bottle.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 1961 Barolo Riserva Monfortino was especially beautiful and fresh. It offered a similar flavor profile as the 1958 with greater harmony and balance, if not quite as much sheer power.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

The 1998 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is a monumental effort. A deep dark red, it opens with a huge nose of licorice, roses and cocoa, then flows onto the palate with masses of sweet, concentrated dark fruit that go on forever. Notes of mineral and leather gradually develop in the glass, adding further complexity as this great wine begins to reveal its expansive and profound personality. The 1998 is unusually open right now. As was the case with the 1997 at this stage, it should offer a brief drinking window over the next 6 months or so before shutting down for what is likely to be an extended period prior to awakening in the glorious prime of its life. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2023.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 1998 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is a monumental effort. A deep dark red, it opens with a huge nose of licorice, roses and cocoa, then flows onto the palate with masses of sweet concentrated dark fruit that go on forever. Notes of mineral and leather gradually develop in the glass, adding further complexity as this great wine begins to reveal its expansive and profound personality. The 1998 is unusually open right now. As was the case with the 1997 at this stage, it should offer a brief drinking window over the next 6 months or so before shutting down for what is likely to be an extended period prior to awakening in the glorious prime of its life.Vinous Media | 97 VMDecadent and ripe, with wonderfully seductive aromas of white truffle, plum and leather. Full-bodied, with supersoft tannins and amazing fruit and Christmas cake character. All in finesse and beauty. All in place.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Barolo “Monfortino” Riserva Speciale - Giacomo Conterno) The 1998 Monfortino is a superb bottle in the making, which comes as no surprise as any time the Conternos decide to put a Monfortino label on a new release, it is a guarantee of quality. The 1998 offers up a very deep and typically black fruity nose of black cherries, dark berries, licorice, camphor, road tar, woodsmoke and a fine base of soil. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and laser-like in its focus, with a rock solid core of fruit, firm, well-integrated tannins, and outstanding length and grip on the very youthful and tangy finish. This will need every bit of twelve or fifteen years of bottle age to begin to blossom, and should prove to be an especially long-lived vintage of Monfortino. (Drink between 2020-2075).John Gilman | 94 JG

Conterno’s 2001 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is a towering, gigantic wine. Layers of sweet perfumed fruit flow across the palate in this gracious, refined yet powerful Monfortino. Hints of sweet red berries, roses, licorice and spices wrap around the deeply resonant finish. This is another wine that begs for patience. Today it is an infant. Anticipated maturity: 2021-2041.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2001 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is a wine that appears to be going through an adolescent, unsettled phase. Several recent bottles have been quite stubborn, but this magnum is a bit better. Elegant and silky in feel, the 2001 gives the impression that it will mature earlier than some of the surrounding vintages. I know that will surprises more than a few Vinous readers – it surprises me too – but that’s just the way things look right now.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2001 Monfortino will be a magical wine, but it is very, very young today and still very shut down and in need of several more years of cellaring before it is even open enough for proper inspection. What struck me most poignantly about this vintage of Monfortino is how pure and red fruity it is out of the blocks, which is fairly rare for this normally quite black fruity interpretation of Barolo greatness. The bouquet is deep, hauntingly pure and transparent, as it soars from the glass in a very primary mélange of red cherries, orange zest, woodsmoke, herbs, coffee, a great base of soil and plenty of roses in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, very pure and absolutely rock solid at the core, with brisk acids, ripe, well-integrated and substantial tannins, brilliant focus and balance and stunning length and grip on the very young, refined finish. A great Monfortino in the works. (Drink between 2020 - 2075)John Gilman | 96+ JGOffers sweet plum and sultana aromas, with hints of citrus fruit on the nose. Full-bodied, with soft, sweet tannins and cedar, cappuccino and sweet fruit flavors. Long and gorgeous. Hard not to drink now. Best after 2012. 855 cases made, 170 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

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

The 2007 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is a massive, towering wine of majestic proportions. Everything comes together in the glass; expressive aromatics, striking fruit, powerful yet silky tannins and a long, impeccable finish. This complex, kaleidoscopic Barbaresco is a wine for the ages. The Riserva Asili is a surprisingly powerful wine from this vineyard. Readers will have to wait until 2011, when the wine is released, to taste this utterly profound Barbaresco. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2037.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPGiacosa’s 2007 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is flamboyant, exotically ripe and stunning in its absolute beauty. Bright red cherry fruit, rose petal, violet and mint abound in a spellbinding, utterly thrilling Barbaresco. I have always adored the 2007. Once again, it is pure magic.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGThis will be in the market in 2012. This is full and rich with irresistible silky tannins. This brings more substance and richness than the white label. Lay this down until 2016. 10,000 bottles.James Suckling | 98 JSBursting with sweet cherry, floral, licorice and spice flavors, this ripe red is expressive, supple, balanced and dense, showing the structure to age and a finish of fig and tobacco notes. Best from 2016 through 2030. 170 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Pure cherry, rose and leather aromas and flavors emerge after about two hours of aeration. This is rich, with impressive depth and a firm structure for support. Elegant and graceful, showing excellent length on the finish. Best from 2017 through 2027. 170 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSAmazing nose of chocolate, orange peel, plums and hazelnut. Full-bodied, with super fine tannins and a long finish. Intense with a beautiful line of fine tannins that go on for minutes. Superb. 10,000 bottles made. February 2014 release. Leave it for at least four or five years before drinking!James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2008 Barolo Riserva Falletto Vigna Le Rocche (aged 36 months in botte grande) is a gorgeous wine from every perspective. Its 360-degree beauty shines comes through in terms of the intensity of the bouquet and the elegance of the mouthfeel. Again, super-finely textured tannins give the wine backbone and create a supporting structure for rich fruit flavors. There’s just enough consistency here to fill the palate, yet the wine is never heavy or flat. It shows vibrant energy thanks to the natural freshness and that beautiful note of garden fresh red rose that pops up as nostalgic sign-off. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2040.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP

The 2011 Barolo Riserva Novantesimo is a proud and exuberant wine that does enormous justice to the vintage and to the mighty Nebbiolo grape. This is remembered as a warm growing season, and this wine is richly layered, generous and beautifully intense as a result. Dark cherry aromas are folded within spice, cured tobacco and leather. The best part is that subtle crunch or snap you get on the palate, thanks to the fresh acidity that is neatly integrated within.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPPressed rose, iris, new leather, exotic spice, menthol and a whiff of wild berry come to the forefront on this gorgeous wine. The full-bodied, polished palate has a weightless elegance, delivering raspberry compote, crushed cherry, licorice, aromatic herb and a floral note alongside taut, velvety tannins. It’s already beautiful but hold for even more complexity. Drink 2021–2031. Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOPressed rose, iris, new leather, exotic spice, menthol and a whiff of wild berry come to the forefront on this gorgeous wine. The full-bodied polished palate has a weightless elegance, delivering raspberry compote, crushed cherry, licorice, aromatic herb and a floral note alongside taut velvety tannins. It’s already beautiful but hold for even more complexity. Drink 2021–2031.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEIn 2011, Scavino bottled a small amount of the 2011 Barolo Riserva Novantesimo, a blend of fruit fruit from a handful of top-notch sites to celebrate the winery’s 90th anniversary. A hauntingly beautiful wine, the 2011 graces the palate with notable nuance and detail. Freshly cut flowers, mint and sweet red berries are all laced together in an exquisite Barolo endowed with real class and pedigree. The Novantesimo is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. That is little wonder. Look at the vineyard sites: Fiasco (Castiglione Falletto), Monvigliero (Verduno), Cannubi and Vignane (Barolo), San Bernardo (Serralunga), Bricco Ambrogio (Roddi) and Rocche dell’Annunziata (La Morra). This is a fabulous effort.Vinous Media | 96+ VMFresh and inviting, this beckons with complex aromas of cherry, sweet spices, leather and tar. The silky texture and refined tannins complement the cherry liqueur, tobacco and licorice flavors as this glides to a lingering aftertaste. Best from 2020 through 2035. 486 cases made, 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Bruno Giacosa, who passed away last January, was known for the extraordinary elegance of his Barolos and Barbarescos. This last ’red label’ riserva is probably the most consistent 2012 in Barolo, and the Falletto cru is one of the highest sites in Serralunga, preserving grace in a dry vintage such as this. The nearby Francia cru, by contrast, suffered more. Indeed, beneath fine pomegranate fruit and black olive depth, there are finely textured tannins of an extreme precision, and it shows an overall magnificent balance in an almost Burgundian style of Nebbiolo.Decanter | 98 DECA rich and decadent Barolo with dark berry, meat and hints of chocolate and spice. Full body, layered and dense with some leather and walnut underlying the ripe fruit. Drink in 2020 but already beautiful.James Suckling | 98 JSPiercing scents of truffle, rose water, macerated cherry and medicinal herbs are the hallmarks of this elegant red. Less evolved and harmonious on the palate, with a core of sweet fruit and tightly wound, dense tannins. Stays fresh and long on the extended finish. Best from 2022 through 2043. 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2012 Barolo Riserva Falletto Vigna Le Rocche (red label) was bottled last September and has already eased into a comfortable and promising stage in its very early evolution. Bruna Giacosa tells me that this wine will be made in 2014 and 2016, so future supplies are plentiful. The jury is out on whether the wine will be produced in 2015, but Bruna tells me it is unlikely (albeit by no means confirmed at this point). Fruit selection was extreme in 2012. This is a warm vintage expression, and the wine is beautifully rich and velvety as a result. That textural richness is what stands out most. The primary fruit is bold and very well defined. There is a point of dark cherry ripeness, but it adds to the generous fiber and softness of the mouthfeel. Of the many beautiful vintages I have tasted of this wine, I suspect the 2012 might be faster in its evolution.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP

The 2013 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is another huge, tannic wine. Crystalline and so precise, the 2013 is deceptive, as the aromatics are quite inviting, until masses of tannin hit the palate. Tar, rose petal, spice and cedar open with a bit of time in the glass, showing just enough to make the wine pleasurable today. Even so, the best is clearly yet to come. Patience will be rewarded.Vinous Media | 99 VMSubtle aromas of cherry, wild herb and tobacco introduce this sleek, complex version, while cherry, strawberry, loam, iron and tobacco flavors build in intensity to the extended finish. But what truly defines this superb and silky Barolo is the texture and harmony, with a fine weave to the dense tannins. All the components come together on the lingering aftertaste. Best from 2022 through 2050. 1,666 cases made.Wine Spectator | 99 WSWarm aromas of plums, rose petals and spices with hints of sandalwood. Some tar. Full body, dense center palate with glorious fruit and a fantastic finish. Very, very polished and fine tannins. Vertical and deep. A great Monfortino. Try in 2023.James Suckling | 99 JSI have been tasting this wine from barrel for the past two years and now finally, abracadabra, the 2013 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is safely housed in bottle. The wine was bottled in June of last year and will hit the market this upcoming October. The Barolo Francia was not produced in 2013 because Roberto Conterno diverted all fruit from that vineyard to this wine. Monfortino was not produced in 2011 or 2012, meaning that this 2013 edition follows directly after the absolutely stunning 2010 vintage (which earned a perfect 100-point score). The two vintages (2010 and 2013) are very similar, strikingly so, but the 2013 vintage registers at a slightly lower structural threshold. The tannins are slightly looser, or softer in the case of this wine. With up to six years in botte, the 2010 vintage is still crunchy and super sharp, while this wine is slightly more succulent and earthy. Some 20,000 bottles, 2,500 magnums and 400 three-liter bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPAfter the celebrated 2010, Monfortino is not disappointing in the cool and classic 2013 vintage as it suffers more in the warm vintages than the fresher ones. This Riserva is rich with fresh and savoury aromas of red cassis, cherry and blood orange, full of cinnamon spice and balsamic notes with a minty finish that’s intoxicating in its depth. On the palate it’s velvety with pleasant and ripe tannins and full and consistent structure. Overall, it’s perfectly balanced and will age for decades but is delicious for drinking now.Decanter | 97 DEC