In multiple tastings over the last year the estate’s 2003 Barolo Sori Ginestra has consistently proven to be one of the vintage’s top Barolos. The wine’s hallmark qualities are all there; deep color, full-bodied, intense black cherries and plums, grilled herbs, spices and sweet toasted oak, even if they are not as well-articulated as in more typical vintages. Rich and expansive on the palate, this big, strapping Barolo needs another few years of bottle age to drink at its finest. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2018.
Things haven’t changed much at Conterno-Fantino, at least not yet. The estate continues to make sleek, modern-styled Barolos aged in 100% new French oak. Guido Fantino tells me his son Fabio has begun aging a few lots of his own wine in mid-size casks, so it will be interesting to see the direction the new generation takes. The estate has a new Barolo from the Mosconi vineyard that will make its debut with the 2004 vintage. My early impressions from cask of this and the estate’s other 2004 Barolos are positive.
Importer: Empson USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900