November 8, 2023 - The 2012 Francia is a textbook Barolo and an incredible wine, especially for the vintage.
On the nose, I found a stereotypical Barolo expression of sweet red cherry and plum fruit, fresh red roses, tar, tea, orange peel, and menthol. On the palate, the wine is medium to full in body, quite concentrated, and again the flavor profile is super classic with red cherry and red roses at the front, with tar, tea, and a touch of a balsamic note joining on the finish. This is a powerful, tannic wine, but the tannins are pretty refined, albeit not as much as the best vintages of Conterno where Monfortino is made like the 2010 or 2014.
This is a wine that should ideally be aged for another 10+ years, a rare 2012 that is still not in its drinking window. That said, the wine is beautiful right now. I found the wine to be most consistently expressive when first opened, with the wine at times clenching and shutting down with air.
October 19, 2023 - Good lord. A nose from heaven. Dominated by young crushed berries and fresh flowers. Shockingly approachable on the palate. Still some tannins that need to resolve but just a beautiful juice bomb of cherry and raspberry with some cocoa and tobacco notes lingering in the background. This is a wine you sniff for minutes on end. Epic.
July 24, 2023 - Giacomo Conterno Barolo Francia 2012.
Denne er "in the zone" nå.
Svært tiltalende med begynnende modningstoner.
Klokkerent og meget sexy miks av frukt og spice.
Slank men dyp munnfølelse.
Teksturen er helt sublim.
Høy konsentrasjon og pen friskhet.
Nydelig balanse.
Drikker supert nå og vil nok fortsatt ha en lang positiv utvikling.
Meget lang fast finish med markante modne tanniner.
Topp topp. 95p
May 7, 2023 - Excellent
April 21, 2023 - 125ml coravin from magnum at 67PM. Pre-masterclass quickie drink. Drank in Zalto Burg glass.
Appearance is clear, pale intensity, ruby colour with garnet rim. Legs.
Nose is clean, tight and needed 20mins to get going, medium intensity, with aromas of earth, iron, blood meat, dark rose petal, dark red plum fruit, ripe red cherry. Developing.
On the palate, dry, solid high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14.5%), grippy powerfully structured high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with mouth-coating flavours of dark red plums, ripe red cherries, dark meatiness, ferrous iron earth. Long big power finish that lingers with a silken quality and classic sour red cherry.
Very very good quality. Power with poise. Tannic but still manages to coat the mouth in a silken rather than brutal fashion. Years ahead.
November 17, 2022 - Tasting portion at 67PM. Still very tight, the tannic spine is what dominates at the moment with only a hint of the silky, elegant red fruit. Needs a lot more time as this is all structure now.
October 3, 2022 - Immediately expressive but calm and even. Rose petals, earth and smoked meats pay with red fruits. It is silky of texture, voluminous and expansive through the palate. Everything is in check and whilst it is a joy to drink now there is plenty left in the tank.
July 4, 2022 - Not quite hitting the heights of the previous bottle of this - I think these really need 10 more years. They have plenty of stuffing
April 20, 2022 - Fabulous bottle. It’s surprisingly accessible but it’s 4 hour decant was key. Red fruit, rose petals and Christmas spice waft from the glass. It shows incredible detail, vibrancy and intensity in these early stages of its life and its finish is incredibly persistent, with lift, elegance and grace. No Monfortino in this vintage, so it’s all here. And it shows. Fantastic already, but a long terrific future ahead.
October 7, 2021 - How much 2012 Barolo is too much 2012 Barolo (Noize): Very good, suffered a bit by being next to Cappellano and is a much darker, more virile Barolo so maybe a bit of an unfair comparison despite being so close geographically. Certainly up on a level with the G Rinaldi wines and Bartolo Mascarello this vintage (perhaps the lack of Monfortino helpfed?)