Opened at 7pm the night before to check on it and double decanted it off of its sediment. I was prepared to sit it on the table and slow-o it until our afternoon lunch the next day but after a little taste, I determined that it didn't need it so I put the cork back in and put it back in the cellar. The next day I decanted it 4 hours before serving and the wine was singing and continued to open over the next hour.
Very similar to my note from last year (2/4/23) but a little more open. It's like a flower that's 2/3's open- you can see the whole flower but you know it'll be even more stunning when it fully expands.
The level of fruit extract and concentration is fantastic, as if the elixir of fermenting grapes was somehow captured as a pungent flavor component, along with earth, herbs, tar and cherry compote.
Two left and I pray I can wait a couple more years before the next one.
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Decanted approximately two hours - I always feel a little crazy posting this for a 20 year old wine, but this is still quite primary. Ripe red and black fruit on the palate, good acidity and great length on the finish. I may not try another bottle for five years, and if you only have one or two, I would continue to hold, but this is pretty good 👍
Vinous Piedmont Icons Dinner @ Legacy Records (Legacy Records, NYC): This bottle of '99 Francia was clearly flawed in a wild way, but I've also encountered a bottle of '99 Monfortino a few years back that showed similarly. On the nose, I found green grass clippings and melon-like aromas, very odd.
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(Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia) Much more classic wine here. Tighter nose with lots of tar, loam and minerals. Big and structured on the palate and just the purest cherry fruit you can imagine. Palate staining length and burly tannins. This is classic Barolo. Bury this and forget about it for at least fifteen years.
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3/4/2024 - Chris Forno wrote: 95 Points
Opened at 7pm the night before to check on it and double decanted it off of its sediment. I was prepared to sit it on the table and slow-o it until our afternoon lunch the next day but after a little taste, I determined that it didn't need it so I put the cork back in and put it back in the cellar. The next day I decanted it 4 hours before serving and the wine was singing and continued to open over the next hour.
Very similar to my note from last year (2/4/23) but a little more open. It's like a flower that's 2/3's open- you can see the whole flower but you know it'll be even more stunning when it fully expands.
The level of fruit extract and concentration is fantastic, as if the elixir of fermenting grapes was somehow captured as a pungent flavor component, along with earth, herbs, tar and cherry compote.
Two left and I pray I can wait a couple more years before the next one.
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2/23/2024 - astroman Likes this wine:
1999 2000 Barolo Barbaresco (Gemma): Impressions, good fruits, fresh. Drinking beautifully
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2/23/2024 - Sean Tay wrote: 95 Points
Pronounced nose intensity with notes of mushroom, forest floor, toast , char wood. Medium acidity, medium+ tannin. Did not decant. Pop and pour
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1/21/2024 - Bob H wrote:
Decanted approximately two hours - I always feel a little crazy posting this for a 20 year old wine, but this is still quite primary. Ripe red and black fruit on the palate, good acidity and great length on the finish. I may not try another bottle for five years, and if you only have one or two, I would continue to hold, but this is pretty good 👍
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10/17/2023 - Robmcl920 wrote: flawed
Vinous Piedmont Icons Dinner @ Legacy Records (Legacy Records, NYC): This bottle of '99 Francia was clearly flawed in a wild way, but I've also encountered a bottle of '99 Monfortino a few years back that showed similarly. On the nose, I found green grass clippings and melon-like aromas, very odd.
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