Giacomo Conterno Dinner with Roberto Conterno

My first experience tasting Giacomo Conterno wines -- and, yes, I'm a fan. Having expected tannic and firm wines built for longevity, I found amazingly supple and fragrant wines that were accessible now and utterly delicious. I only tasted two single vinyard Barberas and Cascina Francia Barolo this time around, but the uniqueness of these wines and mastery of the winemaking clearly showed why these wines are so sought after. The sense of place, the soil, the unusual unique aromatics -- all of this came through loud and clear with every sip. Bravo!

• 2012 Giacomo Conterno Barbera d'Alba Francia

  Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba

  Flowery aromatics give way to a freshly baked fruit tart, pomegranate, and a hint of hazel nut. Feminine and supple Barbera, yet ripe and extracted, with plenty of acidity owing to the predominately calcareous soil. Raspberry liquor, with some orange zest, and an intoxicating touch of pine resin add to the aromatic tour de force. Delicious.

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• 2012 Giacomo Conterno Barbera d'Alba Cerretta

  Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba

  Velvety, rich, and incredibly aromatic wine. Feminine, yet more full bodied than Francia, with more pronounced dark cherry notes, the by-product of clay soil. Hint of vanilla, earth, ripe fruit. Concentrated, yet not tannic. Showed even more impressively than Francia now, will easily improve. Delicious.

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• 2011 Giacomo Conterno Barbera d'Alba Cerretta

  Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba

  Extracted, inky dark, masculine wine. Black mulberries, dark chocolate, macerated dark fruit, some Tuscan aromatics. Great texture in the mouth -- viscous, lush, with soft tannins -- yet some heat in the background. Clocking at 15%. Needs time.

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• 2007 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The complete package. Seductive aromatics of red fruits, pine nuts, oils -- recalls the perfume of ripe cab franc. Soft and voluptuous in the mouth, with some smoky, jammy notes -- drinking easily now, with but a hint of tannins in the background. Balanced and fluid, dancing on a palate, feminine, ripe and complex. Excellent.

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• 2004 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Very un-nebbiolo like yet unique and amazing nose. Blueberries, dusty cherries, pine needles -- keep searching for the more traditional perfume of roses and tar, but cannot stop admiring the aromatic complexity. More simple in the mouth -- bright, zingy, cranberries and sour cherries, still tannic. Turned more uniform and less alluring with more air.

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• 2009 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Big wine, with a hint of animal aromatics and ripe sexy fruit. On the palate, the wine is round, lush, forward, yet short, with little follow through. Sweet, attractive, here and now wine. Should gain in complexity, but the minerality is lacking.

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• 1993 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Fully matured Barolo. Sweet, somewhat monolithic, and very smooth. Soaked barrel aromatics, hint of wild carnation, orange peel oil. Drink up.

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