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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.8 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 47 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Eric on 8/7/2022: Piemonte at Madison Park How to Cook a Wolf (Seattle, WA, USA): Mmm, deep, dusky. Oh heck yeah Barolo! Smoky strawberry, really nice structure, great acid, fresh and vibrant. (1838 views) | | | Tasted by WoodieBayArea on 1/20/2022 & rated 92 points: this had structure in the way for the first four hours for sure... then started to mellow out and was best when drinking the last glass (maybe 7-8 hours after first decant... still quite structured but given the reveal over the decant / drink time it clearly has body underlying... I felt the '78 Borgogno Barolo Riserva was a better drink on this night but got some push back on that from my kids (who are in their 20's but have decent wine experience cuz their dad is a habitual wino) (1772 views) | | | Tasted by NoahCap on 9/2/2021: Tight upon opening. Sat in the decanter 3 hrs and then leisurely consumed over the next 2.5 hrs. Perfect cork, perfect fill level, bottle in magnificent condition. Wine with just the tiniest blush of bricking, otherwise a rich translucent healthy ruby. Look just as a 25+ yr old Barolo should.
The nose is quite earthy, dark, more brooding than I'd expect. Much more tar than roses. It's very complex, with smells of leather, freshly turned earth, and hay, along with some background aromas of potpourri and black cherries. There is good amount of acidity in the mouth, as well as a moderate degree of smooth, but present, tannins. Again, the tar flavors are more prominent than the fruit, though both are present. Florals are in the background. Tar>Cherries>Roses. Finish is quite long and emphasizes a bitter medicinal note that is actually kind of nice; that particular note being reminiscent of a digestif type bitterness. Not uncommon among some Italian reds.
The bitterness becomes more prominent, and the fruits fade, as the wine sits in the decanter. For me, the sweet spot was just around 4 hrs in a wide decanter, after that, the wine heads downhill.
I'm a very big fan of nebbiolo, and I was very very excited to try this. I've had many nebbiolo-based wines, but this is the highest pedigree I've tried thus far. Admittedly, my expectations were through the roof, and while this was very good, it ultimately didn't quite live up. To me, it was a bit blocky, a bit lacking in fruit, just didn't have that je ne sais quoi of the very best of the best. Very good, and I'd be happy to drink it any day of the week, though probably not at the current price tag unless I have some unexpected financial windfall. Glad to have had it once. (1995 views) | | | Tasted by vulgar little monkey on 2/16/2020 & rated 94 points: This starts with a really complex nose with a piney, varnished wood component with other savory leather and dry herb notes. Hints of dried roses and dark red fruits, both pitted and with seeds. To me, the savory and earthy notes that the wine is showing perfectly complements the fruit which is the mark of a mature wine in plateau. It will certainly get more tertiary and had an older profile than the Roddolo. With time in the glass, the fine grained and slightly ferrous tannins show themselves but are whisked away with a bite of food. I have one bottle left that I'll probably drink by 2025. This was double decanted 3.5 hours prior to drinking. (3116 views) | | | Tasted by liber on 1/14/2020 & rated 96 points: 10th of 12, decanted 80 minutes, perfect cork and level, as bottle noted in July 16, very special with years of interesting development ahead. VF (18.5). (2894 views) | | | Tasted by beatles on 6/27/2019 & rated 93 points: Popped and poured as the last bottle of the evening; somewhat a tough cookie at first. very traditional and firm, great concentration, red berries, tobacco, tar still quite tannic and young - very good indeed, too early, IMHO
#PB (2789 views) | | | Tasted by NostraBacchus on 2/16/2019 & rated 95 points: Very classic and traditional, this shows aromatics of ripe red and dark fruit, tar, tobacco, roasted meat, also some truffle. It‘s medium-full bodied, with excellent freshness and medium-high acidity as well as medium+ and surpisingly (for the vintage) ripe tannin. Very good length. A superb showing of this bottle and a clear standout in this so-so vintage. (3162 views) | | | Tasted by prof b on 12/31/2018 & rated 94 points: Dark fruits, heavy tannins, and florality. Very nice. (2423 views) | | | Tasted by salil on 12/30/2018 & rated 93 points: Impressive - an array of ripe red and dark fruit, spice, florality, and lightly tarry notes; it's a big wine on the palate with quite a bit of tannin but also has a regal and graceful palate presence with impressive length. (2300 views) | | | Tasted by Kemo Sabe on 5/10/2018 & rated 93 points: This was better tonight than the previous bottle. Sharper and more clarity. Great leather, dark cherry, some black fruits and still a good amount of structure and acidity. Tons of life left in this wine. Good now with upside. (2560 views) | | | Tasted by Kemo Sabe on 4/13/2018 & rated 91 points: Popped and poured which is never my desire with good Barolo. Decanted. Lots of sediment even after straining through the decanter. This needs a lot of air. At the open some stewed notes, red fruits, leather, soy. 2 hours later much better - more nuance, more leather, softer, gaining complexity. Needs 4-6 hours of air. Not sure what to make of all the sediment. Good but a little disappointing. (2338 views) | | | Tasted by Rani on 12/11/2017 & rated 94 points: Lovely rose petals, orange peel and fig notes. Well structured but with very fine, silky tannins and elegance throughout. Evolved slowly in the glass, but not going anywhere in a rush. Terrific wine of the more gentle sort. (1985 views) | | | Tasted by AMRS on 11/30/2017 & rated 94 points: Mama mia what a nose. Earth it is with some rusty cherry. On the palate mid bodied minus, rust, black cherry, so elegant and mushroomy. Reminds me of the Granbussia 1995 we had years ago. Not the greatest wine ever, but a treat of elegance. Drink now-2022, I love this game. (2240 views) | | | Tasted by WoodieBayArea on 11/11/2017: had at dinner with the Buckley's, this was good but I think too young, med+ bodied, med+ acidity, palate was mostly fruit and purple not red, very four square and while not a fruit bomb it was 99% fruit and little to no secondary elements, I guess one might think the fruit could fade before this gains complexity, but I would bet that won't happen... just a little boring tonight, so I edited my drink dates to 2022 - 2030 (2177 views) | | | Tasted by KenK on 5/10/2017 & rated 91 points: Flighted with the 1996, 1997, and 1998 versions this seemed somewhated higher toned and lighter, it still quite nice on its own, especially the palate. 12 hour decant may have been too much. (2707 views) | | | Tasted by Burgundy Al on 5/10/2017 flawed bottle: Casual (Mostly) Italian Wine Dinner with Friends (Ballaro - Highwood IL): Very significant Volatile Acidity. In 95/996/97/98 vertical. (3016 views) | | | Tasted by Steve Brickley on 1/14/2017 & rated 97 points: Decanted six hours and rebottled for the restaurant at Alegro Romano in SF. Had a sip on uncorking and wouldn't recommend pnp and twelve hour decant would be even better with no worries of drop off. Gentle perfumed nose. Tannin up front dominate but not overpowering. This has decades left in it. The red fruits are round, somewhat light. Overall a spectacular wine that impressed from the second sip. Such a treat. (2830 views) | | | Tasted by Goldstone on 11/11/2016 & rated 94 points: Dinner with Kevin Lee (La Table de Patrick, Cochrane Street, Central, Hong Kong): Decanted several hours before by Kevin then brought to the restaurant where it got another hour ore more before serving. Opaque dusky ruby core but otherwise transparent yet no real signs of bricking. Nose is WOW, perfumed rose petals,warm black tarmac, dried star anise, dried and woody liquorice stick, leather.....all very light and super perfumed. The nose is so mesmerising that you can forget that you also meant to drink it. Palate is similar light but also very earthy liquorice, tar and star anise.......all savoury rather than fruit flavours but not particulary tertiary....quite intruiging and unusual, especially because the sensations appear to have been deliberately concentrated onto the core of the mouth and tongue, mirroring the visual apprarance in the glass. Red brick dust dry tannic finish. Deceptively gentle but long and resonant finish. Thrilling and very memorable. Thanks, Kevin! (3086 views) | | | Tasted by liber on 7/26/2016 & rated 96 points: 9th of 12, decanted then drunk over the next hour, perfect cork and level, all previous notes from 05-'12 better than fine - deep mat red, brown edge; complex, involving bouquet, plum, black cherry, earth, some spice and black truffle, meat, rose, violet and, W thought, touch of honeycombe; full bodied, almost rich, very long and persistent, quality nuanced fruit, considerably better (and more mature) than previous notes, followed and eclipsed a very fine Rousseau Clos St Jacques 98, though interestingly shared a certain laid back quality allowing the wine to speak for itself, an exciting bottle and my best Barolo to date. VF+ (19)......on this showing I wish I had more of this grower's Barolos in my cellar! (3127 views) | | | Tasted by vulgar little monkey on 4/16/2016 & rated 92 points: Definitively a different beast than the two Barbarescos. Darker earth, leather and balsamic notes (but not in that roasted way I hate). I decanted this and left it in the cabinet about 5 hours before dinner before recanting and it helped in terms of the tannin. Maybe it was just from being on the same table as the elegant Burgundies and Barbarescos but this wine felt blocky. Certainly regal. I finished the rest of this a few nights later and ti was still a blocky-er affair than the Barbarescos but was of more interest on its own. The concentration in the wine is noteworthy. Very good in its own right and excellent in the context of the vintage. (3158 views) | | | Tasted by Mistress of Wine on 1/2/2016: Deep deep purple. Initially reticent aromas of tar and iron and mushroom. But within 15 minutes of decanting, aromas of violet and rose emerged. The final impression was kaleidoscopic--a powerful, youthful Barolo just entering its drinking window. (2930 views) | | | Tasted by pbaek on 10/15/2015: I opened this bottle 8 hrs before dinner. This is a serious wine, much darker in color compared to the 1976 Bosconia. There is a lot of material here, dark red fruit, flowers, spices, mushrooms, marks of cedar and pine. To me, a very masculine Barolo, upright in style, by no means understated. May need more time to develop, not sure, but it's a very impressive wine for sure. (2872 views) | | | Tasted by Al Ehrhardt on 5/31/2015: Decanted about an hour prior to serving. Red fruits (strawberry, raspberry, cherries, red currants), mushroom/truffle, medicinal (menthol/camphor), minerals. Tannins are integrating very nicely. Lovely. Only one bottle left. I bought several many years ago, but of course wish I'd grabbed more. (3010 views) | | | Tasted by Bradetti on 10/4/2014 & rated 94 points: Right after removing the cork and smelling into the bottle an impressive sweet cherry bouquet flows out. Wow!
Had decanted that wine for 8 hrs. In the glass very nice ruby red colour.
Here the immense fruit is more in balance with some herbal, earthy notes than in the bottle.
On the palate the tannins show being fully integrated, nicely soft, with a pleasant amount of acidity. A really nice 19 years old wine which rescued my attitude to Barolo, since my last tastings have been disappointing to me. Especially compared to the 2000 Oddero Barolo Mondoca I had a week ago there are several levels between these two wines. The Cascina Francia shows much more freshiness / presence even it is 5 years older.
Giacomo Conterno is reaching more and more the no1 place in my vineyard fav list....
This wine I can highly recommend, but should be drunken within the next 2-3 years (just my humble opinion).
EDIT: On day 2 the wine could not keep the level as on day before! The fruit slightly disappeared. So when open it should be enjoyed completely at the first day. (3483 views) | | | Tasted by mclanew on 9/14/2013 & rated 93 points: Classic barolo with cherry, rose, truffle, forest floor notes. Full bodied and kicking, although fully mature. (4474 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By John Kapon
Vintage Tastings, Los Angeles Quarterly (10/12/2005)
(G. Conterno Barolo 'Cascina Francia Riserva.') Login and sign up and see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, January/February 2000, IWC Issue #88
(Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vintage Tastings and Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Giacomo Conterno Producer website
Ken Vastola's fabulous guide to G. Conterno labels
Praelum: “Arguably the King of Barolo. No wine journey is complete without the tasting of one of the great Conternos. ‘Only premium quality can bring prestige to the Langhe.’ Giovanni Conterno taught his two sons Giacomo and Roberto after World War I to ferment and age wines in Bottis with prolonged maceration and ageing. The brothers split in 1969 and Giacomo started investing in his own vineyards since 1974. The wines of Cascina Francia, Monfortino and recently, Ceretta from Serralunga d’Alba are amongst the finest expressions of Nebbiolo that the wine world has ever seen. 4-6 years ageing usually.”NebbioloNebbiolo is a red grape indigenous to the Piedmont region of Italy in the Northwest. The grape can also be found in other parts of the world, though they are not as respected.
Nebbiolo is often considered the "king of red wines," as it is the grape of the famed wines of Barolo DOCG, Barbaresco DOCG, and Roero DOCG. It is known for high tannins and acidity, but with a distinct finesse. When grown on clay, Nebbiolo can be very powerful, tannic, and require long aging periods to reach its full potential. When grown on sand, the grape exhibits a more approachable body with more elegant fruit and less tannins, but still has high aging potential.
"Nebbiolo" is named for the Italian word, "nebbia", which means "fog", in Italian and rightfully so since there is generally a lot of fog in the foothills of Piedmont during harvest.
Nebbiolo is a late-ripening variety that does best in a continental climate that boasts moderate summers and long autumns. In Piedmont, Nebbiolo is normally harvested in October.
More links:
Varietal character (Appellation America) | Nebbiolo on CellarTrackerCascina Francia On weinlagen-infoItaly Italian Wines (ItalianMade.com, The Italian Trade Commission) | Italian Wine Guide on the WineDoctorPiedmont Vignaioli Piemontesi (Italian only)
On weinlagen-infoLanghe Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Roero | Union of Producers of Albese Wines (Albeisa)BaroloRegional History:
The wines of Piedmont are noted as far back as Pliny's Natural History. Due to geographic and political isolation, Piedmont was without a natural port for most of its history, which made exportation treacherous and expensive. This left the Piedmontese with little incentive to expand production. Sixteenth-century records show a mere 14% of the Bassa Langa under vine -- most of that low-lying and farmed polyculturally. In the nineteenth century the Marchesa Falletti, a frenchwoman by birth, brought eonologist Louis Oudart from Champagne to create the first dry wines in Piemonte. Along with work in experimental vineyards at Castello Grinzane conducted by Camilo Cavour -- later Conte di Cavour, leader of the Risorgimento and first Prime Minister of Italy -- this was the birth of modern wine in the Piedmont. At the heart of the region and her reputation are Alba and the Langhe Hills. This series of weathered outcroppings south of the Tanaro River is of maritime origin and composed mainly of limestone, sand and clay, known as terra bianca. In these soils -located mainly around the towns of Barolo and Barbaresco -- the ancient allobrogica, now Nebbiolo, achieves its renowned fineness and power.
map of Barolo DOCG
An interesting thread on Traditional vs. Modern Barolo producers:
https://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=106291 |
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