Giacomo Conterno, Barolo, Cascina Francia Riserva

Monfortino Tasting (Freiheit Vinothek, Ulm, Germany) : Glass: Conterno Sensory Tasted blind. Clear, deep garnet color. Very deep, dense and developing nose with nice mineral notes and some green stems. On the palate juicy through the high, ripe acidity. Fine red fruit, some floral notes and very mineral. Powerful tannin. More developed compared to 2008. Beautiful grip and tension. 94-95

2006 vintage

Generally not a Nebbiolo guy, I often felt a Barolo too austere to enjoy. Wrong o! Maybe never patient enough. This was a wonderful mix of powerful aromas and body with a nice feel and fruit flavors - not the mouth drying experience I had had with other Barolos in the past. Wish I had more time with this, but was a real gem and perhaps WOTN, in my mind, at an eclectic tasting with friends.

2006 vintage

While palate fatigue had set in at this point in the evening, this was a fascinating side by side tasting next to the 2008 Conterno Cascina Francia. At this stage of evolution, the Cascina Francia is more approachable and drinking better now. That said, the Monfortino is a beast that will evolve effortlessly in the cellar and should lay down for another 5-10 years.

2006 vintage

2-3 hour decant - absolutely stunning wine even if the regular Francia can be pretty close in terms of emotional bliss. In other words: This is in its drinking window even if it’s early

2006 vintage

Tight on the nose initially, then intensely aromatic concentrated stony minerals, cloves, cherry fruit, vanilla. Dark deep and brooding. Very complete on the palate, elegant yet very intense, massive but very fine tannins buffered by serious beautifully textured fruit extract. Long black cherry finish that goes on and on. Absolutely superb, obviously very young but delicious to drink already.

2006 vintage

Drunk at Trattoria Marsupino 1901 in Briaglia. Deep dark red cherry nose. No signs of ageing. Electric acid palate, Closed tart red fruit. Incredibly long and lingering. After 45 mins started getting lighter and more flora. Then turned into a piercing line of ruby acid and light and dark red fruit. 95.

2006 vintage

Opened in the bottle all day. Denser than my prior experience with other Conterno Barolo (Cerretta, Francia...). Cherry, mint, and minerals. Fruit was clean but tannins were borderline harsh. Needs 10 plus more years. Good but not great and expected something more polished even at this age.

2006 vintage

Expected more elegance and purity, felt a bit clumsy to me.

2006 vintage

Tasted blind. Aired in bottle for about an hour and then in decanter for the rest of the night. SO TIGHT THE ENTIRE NIGHT. THIS BOTTLE WAS SCREAMING INFANTICIDE ALL THE WAY. Appearance is clear, pale intensity, garnet colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium intensity, with aromas of earth, scented potpourri, concentrated red cherries, crushed stones minerality. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14.5%), grippy high tannins, full body. Mediium+ flavour intensity, only managed to coax out …

2006 vintage

Tasted at the enoteca in Barolo. The nose was a little subdued but this is a beautiful wine. Pure and complex, with red fruit tones and old leather accents. Happily, the taste lingered and lingered and is etched in my mind. I wish I could afford a few bottles.

2006 vintage

Initially herbal and light; gains much weight in the glass; Nebbiolo is here, dry and elegant, very tight, closed, wine is ever chancing in the glass, difficult to get a hold on. Keep it, keep it ... 94++

2006 vintage

Tasted blind. Massive! Give it 5-10 years for a 95+ experiencee.

2006 vintage

Bevuto insieme al Monfortino 2002, con cui al momento non può competere. Non ha ancora la dinamica, i profumi e la distensione del baby 2002 ( e forse mai li avrà). Da rivisitare tra una decina di anni, ma è già oggi un grande barolo: in questa bevuta meno austero del previsto, lo ammetto!

2006 vintage

Very sappy fruits. Dusty red fruit. Completely mouth coating and you can taste the tension. Some red currents poking through. Touch of sweetness on the fruit. The wine shut down for an hour - then began slowly opening: dark red fruits, same dusty feel and long bitteresh tannins. Quite austere at this stage. The last sip was the most tannic.

2006 vintage

Barolo Riserva Monfortino vertical 1995-2006 : Right next to the 2001 and completely different. A massive Monfortino. Rich and ripe with aromas of plum, dark fruit, tobacco and licorice. I like the generosity of the fruit that buffer the massive Nebbiolo structure. 97-98

2006 vintage

11.5 vintages of Monfortino-vertical: SO'd for 12 hours. Dark mentholated notes, dark fruit, tobacco, cigar ash, leather, graphite, licorice and tar, balsamic notes too. It's full-bodied, teeth-stainingly dense and powerful, with high acidity and high tannin that is balanced by the sheer concentration of fruit though. Fantastic length. A super young, but incredibly complex Monfortino full of potential... bury this deep in your cellar if you have some... What an amazingly structured and powerful wine. (98+)

2006 vintage

(Monfortino mag vertical 1970-2008) This was the most disappointing wine of the night for me - although I deemed it too young to formally rate. This is the only wine showing oak on the nose (and palate). When I got past that, the red fruit seemed almost confected. I've been much preferring recently the under-rated 2007 Barolo vintage, and think many 2006's are over-rated... But this was still a major disappointment. Big, broad and persistent in the mouth, but almost …

2006 vintage

Giacomo Conterno Montfortino, Barolo Reserva Magnum Dinner (67 Pall Mall) : So who let Aldo make this wine? This really feels like a modern style Barolo and nothing like the other vintages. Saying that I do like it but most people at the dinner were not happy.

2006 vintage

Our First Acker Auction (Marea in NYC) : We killed a few babies during the day, but this was probably the most ridiculous version of it. Was opened and double-decanted and then poured. Still very tannic and tight at first. Mostly I just taste stems, hints of spiced red fruits. With some time it opened a bit, but really this needs quite a bit more time in the bottle.

2006 vintage

So pure, so long, so young. Cherries, minerals. Weightless. R says "all grip, no love." Acker auction at Marea.

2006 vintage

Same as the last bottle. Needs decades

2006 vintage

Peak is 2020, Drink now through 2050

2006 vintage

- Brick color - Tasted amongst a lineup of notable Monfortino's. This was the youngest vintage in the lineup granted, but I think the winemaking quality control has come on since the late 90's and the 2006 has got to be one of the very best Monfortino's ever made. This wine will bring grown men to tears in 10 years time. It really is that good.

2006 vintage

Loads of tar, cinnamon, mushrooms and dried roses and dense dark fruit on the nose. Deep, concentrated but not heavy. Lots of spice, ripe red and dark fruit on the palate. Bright and vibrant, delicate. Perhaps a bit closed but great potential evidenced by the tannin on the finish.

2006 vintage

Monfortino 1971 Dinner : Blackcurrant, black cherry, smoke and violet aromas. Super youthful palate, the tannins are powerful but the fruit keeps up. A forceful wine that is in need of a large amount of time. Despite the youth, it is a wine that I kept thinking about it following the event, so there is something special about it just waiting to show its full potential.

2006 vintage

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Giacomo Conterno, Barolo, Cascina Francia Riserva

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