Vinous Monfortino Dinner with Roberto Conterno; 2/1/2024-2/2/2024 (Legacy Records, NYC): The '15 is a Monfortino of pure pleasure, with fruit to burn. I found the expression here different than the other recent vintages, darker and more fruit driven, but it's so beautiful. It also would not be a shame to open a bottle now. I found the '15 Monfortino more open than the '15 Cerretta/Arione/Francia (which I tasted the prior night), interestingly enough, continuing my experience that in vintages where both wines are made, the Monfortino is much more interesting.
The aromatics were vibrant and wide open, with dark red to black fruit, sweet spices, red floral tones, orange peel, and a bit of cedar / wood notes, a bit of an outlier, but very well balanced. On the palate, the wine is medium to full in body, with so much dense, very ripe '15 fruit, but balanced with high acidity that most wines lack in 2015. Compared to the other Conterno '15s, the Monfortino is more open, has more vibrancy / acidity, and has more finessed tannins in my opinion.
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Second time drinking this vintage of Monfortino, it’s so good! At this moment in time, it’s drinking great out of the bottle with minimal air. Already so tasty and approachable, no guilt at all in opening a bottle today.
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20% of the grapes come this year from the Arione vineyard. 9000 bottles in total. Large broad mass comes instantly out of the glass with this vintage-type forward-looking style with even sweetish red cherries, balsamic vinegar, truffle tones, bacon and with excellent minerality. Full-bodied and dense wine that still releases the more forward-facing red / purple fruit, balsamic vinegar and herbs. Really delicate and structured wine. Long, complex and fresh finish with this great mineral touch. Lovely Monfortino for the next 15 - 25 years. 97 points.
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Brief impression tasting at the winery. A massive nose, definitely more open than the 2014 was a year ago, with dark fruit tones, sweet spices, herbs, and cedar. Mouth filling and medium to full bodied on the palate, but with very smooth tannins buried by the fruit. Definitely reminds me of both the 2015 Francia and Arione, which were full of dark fruit and spices, with the Arione in particular having some interesting savory tones, but surprisingly the '15 Monfortino showed a bit more open and approachable than I recall those two wines being.
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Tasted at the winery. So complex, structured and beautiful but still approachable. Big and young wine but so fine and elegant. Obviously this wine will age for a long time, but it's so good now that I wouldn't feel bad drinking it today.
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Tasting with Roberto Conterno (Giocomo Conterno Winery, Monforte): (Barrel Sample) The nose was incredibly floral and layered, showing red berries, minerals, dusty earth, cedar, and sweet spice. On the palate, I found a complex and full-bodied expression with wonderfully balanced acids, as tart red berry fruits gave way to notes of cedar with inner floral tones, and sweet and savory spice. It finished incredibly long and structured with mounting tannin clenching the senses as dried berry and autumnal wood and spice tones lingered, Incredible. Roberto has really mastered the raw ingredients in 2015 to create a selection of stunning wines. (97 - 99 points)
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2/1/2024 - Robmcl920 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Vinous Monfortino Dinner with Roberto Conterno; 2/1/2024-2/2/2024 (Legacy Records, NYC): The '15 is a Monfortino of pure pleasure, with fruit to burn. I found the expression here different than the other recent vintages, darker and more fruit driven, but it's so beautiful. It also would not be a shame to open a bottle now. I found the '15 Monfortino more open than the '15 Cerretta/Arione/Francia (which I tasted the prior night), interestingly enough, continuing my experience that in vintages where both wines are made, the Monfortino is much more interesting.
The aromatics were vibrant and wide open, with dark red to black fruit, sweet spices, red floral tones, orange peel, and a bit of cedar / wood notes, a bit of an outlier, but very well balanced. On the palate, the wine is medium to full in body, with so much dense, very ripe '15 fruit, but balanced with high acidity that most wines lack in 2015. Compared to the other Conterno '15s, the Monfortino is more open, has more vibrancy / acidity, and has more finessed tannins in my opinion.
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4/21/2022 - joshabramson Likes this wine:
Second time drinking this vintage of Monfortino, it’s so good! At this moment in time, it’s drinking great out of the bottle with minimal air. Already so tasty and approachable, no guilt at all in opening a bottle today.
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11/27/2021 - Andre Brattland wrote: 97 Points
20% of the grapes come this year from the Arione vineyard. 9000 bottles in total.
Large broad mass comes instantly out of the glass with this vintage-type forward-looking style with even sweetish red cherries, balsamic vinegar, truffle tones, bacon and with excellent minerality. Full-bodied and dense wine that still releases the more forward-facing red / purple fruit, balsamic vinegar and herbs. Really delicate and structured wine. Long, complex and fresh finish with this great mineral touch. Lovely Monfortino for the next 15 - 25 years. 97 points.
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11/22/2021 - Robmcl920 Likes this wine:
Brief impression tasting at the winery. A massive nose, definitely more open than the 2014 was a year ago, with dark fruit tones, sweet spices, herbs, and cedar. Mouth filling and medium to full bodied on the palate, but with very smooth tannins buried by the fruit. Definitely reminds me of both the 2015 Francia and Arione, which were full of dark fruit and spices, with the Arione in particular having some interesting savory tones, but surprisingly the '15 Monfortino showed a bit more open and approachable than I recall those two wines being.
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11/8/2021 - joshabramson Likes this wine: 98 Points
Tasted at the winery. So complex, structured and beautiful but still approachable. Big and young wine but so fine and elegant. Obviously this wine will age for a long time, but it's so good now that I wouldn't feel bad drinking it today.
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6/26/2018 - Eric Guido Likes this wine:
Tasting with Roberto Conterno (Giocomo Conterno Winery, Monforte): (Barrel Sample) The nose was incredibly floral and layered, showing red berries, minerals, dusty earth, cedar, and sweet spice. On the palate, I found a complex and full-bodied expression with wonderfully balanced acids, as tart red berry fruits gave way to notes of cedar with inner floral tones, and sweet and savory spice. It finished incredibly long and structured with mounting tannin clenching the senses as dried berry and autumnal wood and spice tones lingered, Incredible. Roberto has really mastered the raw ingredients in 2015 to create a selection of stunning wines. (97 - 99 points)
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