1993 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Speciale Monfortino
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Tasting notes
Conterno’s 1993 Barolo Riserva Monfortino has developed into a sensual Barolo. The tannins have now melted away, and that has allowed the fruit to really come forward. Dark plum, spice, tobacco and licorice linger nicely. Best of all, the 1993 has enough pedigree to drink well for another two decades, maybe more.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
The 1993 Monfortino is one of the wines with the most sediment, but once the wine is decanted, the fruit really begins to pop. This is one of the deeper, meatier wines of the evening. There is plenty of depth and intensity in the glass if not quite the finesse or translucency of the very best years. I don’t expect to see too much upside from here, but time will tell. Tasted from magnum.
1993 Barolo Riserva Monfortino – Dense ruby with some bricking. The youthful 1993 presents a delicate yet captivating nose along with flavors of slightly evolved red fruits with good length and balance although the wine’s significant tannins render it less than totally expressive today. This will require additional bottle age to integrate better.
The light garnet/ruby-colored 1993 Barolo Monfortino is undoubtedly the wine of the vintage for this challenging year. Like all Conterno wines, it was bottled without fining and filtration, thus preserving its full terroir and varietal characteristics. It boasts a knock-out aromatic profile of rose petals, tar, new saddle leather, sweet, jammy black cherries, licorice, and raspberries, decent acidity, sweet tannin, copious alcohol, wonderful density, a fleshy texture, and beautiful harmony as well as elegance. It can be drunk now and over the next 15 years. Look for this effort to be one of the great sleeper wines of Piedmont given the fact that most 1993 Barolos are austere and hard-edged. Importer: Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700
About the producer
Giacomo Conterno is arguably Barolo’s most celebrated estate. While most famous for its Monfortino Riserva, the quality found in every bottling of Nebbiolo and Barbera at this address makes them a benchmark producer for both varieties.