Piedmont
Piedmont, located in northwest Italy, is renowned for producing some of the world's most exquisite fine wines. With its breath-taking landscapes, diverse terroir, and a rich winemaking heritage, Piedmont offers a captivating range of wines that captivate the senses. The region is home to legendary vineyards and wineries that have gained global recognition for their exceptional quality.
One of the most famous vineyards in Piedmont is Gaja, a family-owned winery that has played a pivotal role in elevating the region's wines to international acclaim. Their wines, such as Barbaresco and Barolo, are synonymous with excellence and showcase the complexity and elegance of Piedmontese wines. Another esteemed vineyard is Vietti, known for its iconic Barolo wines that beautifully reflect the region's terroir and winemaking traditions.
Piedmont is renowned for its red wines, particularly Barolo and Barbaresco, both made from the Nebbiolo grape. Barolo is often referred to as the "King of Wines" due to its full-bodied structure, intense aromatics, and potential for aging. Notable vineyards like Bruno Giacosa, Giacomo Conterno, and Paolo Scavino craft outstanding Barolo wines that capture the essence of the region. Barbaresco, a neighboring appellation, offers equally exceptional wines with a slightly softer and more approachable character. Renowned vineyards such as Produttori del Barbaresco and Gaja produce remarkable Barbaresco wines that exemplify the region's winemaking prowess.
Piedmont is also famous for its white wine, Moscato d'Asti, a sweet and aromatic wine made from the Moscato grape. Producers such as Michele Chiarlo and Saracco offer delightful Moscato d'Asti wines that are loved for their fragrant bouquet and refreshing sweetness.
Additionally, the region produces other notable wines, including Barbera d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba, and Gavi. These wines exhibit unique characteristics that reflect the local terroir and grape varieties.
Piedmont's fine wines are a true expression of artistry and tradition, showcasing the region's commitment to excellence. Whether you're savoring a prestigious Barolo, an elegant Barbaresco, or a delightful Moscato d'Asti, Piedmont's wines offer a remarkable journey of flavors and a glimpse into the rich winemaking heritage of this captivating region.
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Piedmont
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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Piedmont | 1 | 96 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€448.15 |
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Vinous (96)The 2017 Barolo Monvigliero marries the raciness of the year with the floral lift and elegance of this great Verduno site. More than anything, the 2017 is a Barolo of pure and total sensuality. Even so, there is more than enough tannin to allow the 2017 to drink well for many years to come. It is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. The rich, substantial finish is a thing of real beauty. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 95 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€448.15 |
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Vinous (95)The 2018 Barolo Monvigliero is broad, ample and so expressive, all while showing the finesse and classicism that are such a signature of this wine. All elements are so well balanced in a Barolo that speaks to harmony above all else. Sweet red cherry, cedar, orange peel, tobacco and cinnamon give the 2018 tons of aromatic presence. Best of all, the 2018 will drink well with minimal cellaring. It's a gorgeous wine in every way. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 94-96 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€586.21 |
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Vinous (94-96)The 2019 Barolo Monvigliero, tasted from barrel, is fabulous. Silky and elegant, with tons of energy, the Monvigliero is showing beautifully today, even as a sample from tank with low SO2 typical of this stage pre-bottling. Even so, all the translucent finesse of Monvigliero comes through loud and clear. Crushed red berry fruit, chalk, blood orange, mint and white pepper lend brightness. The 2019 is shaping up to be a real beauty. It's one of those young wines that is very hard to spit. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 17++ (JR) |
Inc. TAX
€308.95 |
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Jancis Robinson (17++)A shade darker than their Del Comune di Verduno and with a firmer nose of cherry and raspberry with plenty of depth. Ripe and deep. Hints of mint and cardamom, but not from new oak as this has seen only large casks. Elegant and sappy cherry fruit palate with firm, finely chiselled tannins which never dominate the fruit. Succulent and with a fine, long, tannic grip on the finish. |
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Piedmont | 3 | 93-95 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€340.21 |
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Vinous (93-95)The 2019 Barolo San Lorenzo di Verduno, tasted from barrel, is another potent wine from Alessandria. Heady and explosive, the 2019 possesses tremendous energy and drive from start to finish. Dark red fruit, gravel, incense, scorched earth, rose petal, licorice and iron are some of the many notes that race out of the glass. The 2019 is wild and racy, sort of like a misbehaved child, but in the best sense! I can't wait to see how it turns out. |
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Piedmont | 3 | 95+ (JD) |
Inc. TAX
€662.65 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (95+)A pretty, perfumed example of this cuvee, the 2017 Barbaresco offers lots more red fruits as well as spice, dried flowers, incense, and loamy soil. With more licorice and minerality emerging with time in the glass, it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, an elegant texture, plenty of firm tannins, and a great finish. It doesn't get more textbook Nebbiolo than this. This classic beauty is going to benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age and have 2-3 decades of longevity. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 98 (WA) |
Inc. TAX
€1,549.45 |
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Wine Advocate (98)A banner wine for Gaja, the 2010 Sori San Lorenzo brings the infinite and ethereal aromas associated with Nebbiolo into startling focus and clarity. Again, like the Sori Tildin, the structure and tannic firmness of the wine will carry the wine forward over the years and decades ahead. It demands much more time until it fully blossoms. I walked through the San Lorenzo vineyard with Gaia Gaja and she showed me some of their recent activity. Every second row is planted with barley that acts as a natural rototiller given its aggressive root system. Borrowing other “New World” ideas, they’ve started compost piles with Californian red worms and are using (with less success, I’m told) wooden tree boxes to repopulate the birds. All of this must seem very odd to the neighbors. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. TAX
€1,213.45 |
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James Suckling (98)Extremely perfumed with strawberries, flowers, cherries and hints of ash and tar. Medium to full-bodied with tightness and raciness to the tannins. Polished, too. Very, very persistent. Try after 2022. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€1,020.26 |
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Vinous (94)Angelo Gaja’s Barolo Sperss from the 1988 vintage was added as a last-minute surprise. It enjoyed a very strong showing as it revealed considerable fruit and freshness, both attributes which today are rare in many wines of the vintage. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 97 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€1,173.86 |
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Vinous (97)The 1996 Sperss is arguably the most backward of these 1996s from Gaja. Still very young and tightly wound, the 1996 is going to need at least a few years to truly blossom. Even so, it is likely to remain somewhat compact and classically austere in build. The flavors are dark, with plenty of melted road tar, lavender, smoke and gravel undertones that add shades of nuance to this potent and imposing Serralunga wine. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 95 (WA) |
Inc. TAX
€789.85 |
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Wine Advocate (95)Introducing the 2015 Barolo Arione. This is the first vintage produced of the newest wine to join the extended and ever-evolving Conterno portfolio. Only three oak casks were produced: the one I tasted from to write this review, one that was auctioned off to charity and the third botte that ended up becoming part of the iconic Monfortino blend. That fruit from the recently acquired Arione vineyard would be deemed good enough to end up in Monfortino tells a lot about how confident Roberto Conterno is in this product. From a tasting point of view, this wine is characterized by richness and density, with a polished mineral note that never hides from view. The richness of the soils in this vineyard correspond to the density and structure of the wine. Most of the vineyard was planted in the 1960s with some replants throughout the 1980s and 1990s. If Francia is elegance, Arione is power. |
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Piedmont | 1 | - |
Inc. TAX
€754.15 |
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Piedmont | 1 | - |
Inc. TAX
€744.25 |
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Piedmont | 6 | 96 (DC) |
Inc. TAX
€754.15 |
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Decanter (96)With young soils and steep hills, the importance of Arione is easily understood. The southern exposure helped the quality in this vintage and the wine shows a restrained red currant fruit aroma with graceful cinnamon, sweet violet and watermelon, allied to an anise, almost herbal, whiff. Full, refreshing and very elegant yet not without a firm structure, it features an extracted chalky finish. It will age quite well for a 2018. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 98+ (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€1,173.85 |
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Vinous (98+)The 2010 Barolo Francia is an exotic, beguiling beauty. Lavender, sage, menthol, tobacco and dried rose petals are some of the notes that open up in the glass. Constantly changing in the glass, the 2010 is utterly captivating. The combination of super-expressive aromatics, pliant fruit and pulsating tannins is something to behold. It will be many years before the 2010 is ready to deliver the goods, but it is already utterly captivating from the very first taste. Readers should note that, because of new vineyard regulations, the Cascina Francia is now known simply as Francia. In 2010, the corks had already been printed by the time that decision was made, so the corks on the 2010 read 'Cascina Francia.' |
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Piedmont | 2 | 98 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€989.05 |
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Vinous (98)The 2015 Barolo Francia is a soaring, regal wine endowed with tremendous intensity in all of its dimensions. The most reticent and inward of the 2015s, the Francia possesses superb textural density and persistence all the way through to the explosive finish. An immense, towering Barolo, the Francia is positively stellar. It is also going to require a number of years to be at its best. In recent years, the Conterno Barolo Francia has often been relatively accessible post bottling, the 2015 is far from that. |
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Piedmont | 5 | 97 (WA) |
Inc. TAX
€791.28 |
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Wine Advocate (97)I tasted the Giacomo Conterno 2017 Barolo Francia shortly before bottling. Like Roberto Conterno's other wines from this controversial vintage, this wine shines with brilliant and unexpected purity and intensity that is harder to find in its peers. It shows a deep understanding of the potential of a warm growing season, and the Nebbiolo is supple, velvety and uncharacteristically exuberant (for a grape whose elegance starts famously with understatement). Francia in Serralunga d'Alba evokes power and profound depth, with black and purple fruit highlights, rusty nail, crème de cassis, grilled rosemary and reddish rock or baked terracotta. The wine carries its considerable fruit weight with grace, and at the end of the day, it offers a complete portrait of vintage, variety and vintner. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 96-98 (WI) |
Inc. TAX
€697.75 |
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The Wine Independent (96-98)The 2018 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Francia is very densely concentrated with fine tannins but it is not revealing much yet as it is so young. When tasted in May 2022 it was due to be bottled the following month. It is deep ruby in color with perfumed violet and freesia aromas on the nose, with oak spice notes. The tannins are firm but beautifully refined as you would expect from this producer. At the moment, the wine is like a beautiful statue, immaculately carved and pristine but not revealing very much. Roberto Conterno felt this wine needed 18 months before approaching and that it will last for 40 years. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 97 (JS) |
Inc. TAX
€770.65 |
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James Suckling (97)Perfumed aromas of grape skin and roses. Medium to full body, super classic and refined. Incredible finesse and length. It is so fine and gorgeous. Makes you want to drink it. Better in 2020 but so beautiful now. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 97+ (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€759.85 |
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Vinous (97+)Just as it was from barrel, the 2014 Barolo Cerretta is a total stunner. Gracious, perfumed and light on its feet, the Cerretta has so much to say. Time in the glass just serves to bring out the wine's striking inner perfume, natural depth and crystalline intensity. Despite its relatively recent bottling, the 2014 is super-expressive, with tons of detail and a finish that goes on forever. The 2014 Cerretta has a lot to offer, although today the wine's aromatic depth and silkiness are especially alluring. |
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Piedmont | 2 | 95 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€791.35 |
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Vinous (95)Conterno's 2017 Barolo Cerretta offers a classic expression of this Serralunga site. The tannins are just a bit nervy today, which lends a feeling of energy and brightness that is palpable. Bright floral and white pepper accents lift bright red-toned fruit in a Barolo that is wonderfully translucent and nuanced. |
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Piedmont | 4 | 95-97 (WA) |
Inc. TAX
€754.15 |
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Wine Advocate (95-97)Tasted from barrel, the Giacomo Conterno 2018 Barolo Cerretta is shaping up to be a beauty. What stands out most at this very young stage is the quality and the elegant tightness of the tannins. Cerretta fruit from Serralunga d'Alba makes for powerful, structured and concentrated Nebbiolo that is delivered with naked clarity and outstanding purity. These qualities are clearly linked to the vineyard site and less to the conservative efforts executed at the winery. You taste the crunch or the nervous quality of the grape skins and pulp with dark and purple berry nuances and rusty or mineral overtones that hint at the more significant presence of clay in these soils. |
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Piedmont | 2 | 95 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€1,027.75 |
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Vinous (95)The 2019 Barolo Cerretta is positively stellar. Remarkably harmonious for a bottled, young Conterno Barolo, the Cerretta is sublime. It's as if the tannins are totally wrapped into the fruit. The tannins are present, but also not there. Bright cherry, red plum, cinnamon and blood orange all race across the palate. The luxuriousness of the fruit is so captivating. In 2019, the Cerretta is a Barolo of pure and total seduction. I don't think I have ever tasted anything like it here. Best of all, the 2019 will drink well with minimal cellaring. It is already irresistibly delicious. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 99 (VN (AG)) |
Inc. TAX
€3,661.45 |
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Vinous - Antonio Galloni (99)Can you believe Conterno’s 2001 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is next? Neither can I. What a wine. Sweet, perfumed and also massively endowed in every dimension, the 2001 Monfortino is another wine that pushes all the right buttons. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 98 (JS) |
Inc. TAX
€3,181.45 |
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James Suckling (98)Incredibly polished Monfortino. The tannins caress your palate. Aromas of marzipan and dark fruits with orange peel and cedar. Dried fruits. Extremely floral as well. Full-bodied, with super fine tannins and a great elegance. You can drink now but will age for ages. Hard to believe it spent almost eight years in cask. Out in October. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 99 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€3,260.95 |
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Vinous (99)The 2008 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is one of my favorite recent vintages. It is the product of an exceptionally long and cool growing year marked by a highly unusual cold snap at the very end of the season. Those conditions yielded a Monfortino that is pure silkiness and sensuality, with striking aromatic presence and exceptional balance. There is an exoticism to the 2008 that is impossible to miss, while the impression is of tannins that are virtually non-existent. The 2008 was such a complete wine right from the outset that Roberto Conterno decided to bottle it with six years in cask as opposed to the more typical seven. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 99.0 |
Inc. TAX
€1,975.40 |
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Piedmont | 1 | 100 (WA) |
Inc. TAX
€2,839.40 |
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Wine Advocate (100)The Giacomo Conterno 2014 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is made with 100% fruit from the Francia cru, which is not the case for the 2015 vintage (that sees 22% Arione in the blend) or likely future vintages. In a sense, this 100-point wine represents a milestone or a chapter finale in the long and exciting trajectory of Italy's collected and revered Monfortino. I've had the great fortune of tasting this wine from barrel over the course of four years and twice again this summer during my visits to the Conterno estates (in Gattinara and in Monforte d'Alba). |
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Piedmont | 3 | 99 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€3,133.40 |
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Vinous (99)The 2015 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is magical. This is the first vintage that includes fruit from Arione, so the 2015 is 80% Francia and 20% Arione. That marks a return to Monfortino as a multi-vineyard wine, which it mostly was until 1978, when the first Monfortino from Francia was made. The combination of sites works so well. I remember tasting the 2015 as separate components and seeing what exactly the Arione piece adds, and that is aromatic explosiveness, texture and breadth. Rose petal, mint, sage, tobacco and cedar lend complexity. More than anything else, though, I am blown away by how utterly delicious the 2015 is. Of course, the 2015 will be better in time, but its pedigree is plainly evident today. Roberto Conterno gave the 2015 just five years in cask, the shortest time in wood for any Monfortino in recent memory, maybe ever. Like most producers around the world, Conterno is thinking deeply about what the optimal period of time in oak is. As for the 2015, it is a flat-out stunner in every way. |
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Piedmont | 193 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€793.48 |
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Vinous (94)“The 2010 Barbaresco Riserva Vanotu 60th Anniversary Limited Edition is drinking beautifully. Silky and perfumed, the 2010 is now entering its first plateau of maturity. Sweet tobacco, dried flowers, menthol and coffee lend striking aromatic complexity as the 2010 opens in the glass. The 2010 is rich and layered, as all of Giorgio Pelissero's wines are, but time has mellowed some of that exuberance.” |
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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Piedmont | 1 | 96 (VN) |
In Bond
€366.00 |
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Vinous (96)The 2017 Barolo Monvigliero marries the raciness of the year with the floral lift and elegance of this great Verduno site. More than anything, the 2017 is a Barolo of pure and total sensuality. Even so, there is more than enough tannin to allow the 2017 to drink well for many years to come. It is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. The rich, substantial finish is a thing of real beauty. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 95 (VN) |
In Bond
€366.00 |
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Vinous (95)The 2018 Barolo Monvigliero is broad, ample and so expressive, all while showing the finesse and classicism that are such a signature of this wine. All elements are so well balanced in a Barolo that speaks to harmony above all else. Sweet red cherry, cedar, orange peel, tobacco and cinnamon give the 2018 tons of aromatic presence. Best of all, the 2018 will drink well with minimal cellaring. It's a gorgeous wine in every way. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 94-96 (VN) |
In Bond
€481.00 |
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Vinous (94-96)The 2019 Barolo Monvigliero, tasted from barrel, is fabulous. Silky and elegant, with tons of energy, the Monvigliero is showing beautifully today, even as a sample from tank with low SO2 typical of this stage pre-bottling. Even so, all the translucent finesse of Monvigliero comes through loud and clear. Crushed red berry fruit, chalk, blood orange, mint and white pepper lend brightness. The 2019 is shaping up to be a real beauty. It's one of those young wines that is very hard to spit. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 17++ (JR) |
In Bond
€250.00 |
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Jancis Robinson (17++)A shade darker than their Del Comune di Verduno and with a firmer nose of cherry and raspberry with plenty of depth. Ripe and deep. Hints of mint and cardamom, but not from new oak as this has seen only large casks. Elegant and sappy cherry fruit palate with firm, finely chiselled tannins which never dominate the fruit. Succulent and with a fine, long, tannic grip on the finish. |
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Piedmont | 3 | 93-95 (VN) |
In Bond
€276.00 |
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Vinous (93-95)The 2019 Barolo San Lorenzo di Verduno, tasted from barrel, is another potent wine from Alessandria. Heady and explosive, the 2019 possesses tremendous energy and drive from start to finish. Dark red fruit, gravel, incense, scorched earth, rose petal, licorice and iron are some of the many notes that race out of the glass. The 2019 is wild and racy, sort of like a misbehaved child, but in the best sense! I can't wait to see how it turns out. |
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Piedmont | 3 | 95+ (JD) |
In Bond
€546.00 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (95+)A pretty, perfumed example of this cuvee, the 2017 Barbaresco offers lots more red fruits as well as spice, dried flowers, incense, and loamy soil. With more licorice and minerality emerging with time in the glass, it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, an elegant texture, plenty of firm tannins, and a great finish. It doesn't get more textbook Nebbiolo than this. This classic beauty is going to benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age and have 2-3 decades of longevity. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 98 (WA) |
In Bond
€1,285.00 |
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Wine Advocate (98)A banner wine for Gaja, the 2010 Sori San Lorenzo brings the infinite and ethereal aromas associated with Nebbiolo into startling focus and clarity. Again, like the Sori Tildin, the structure and tannic firmness of the wine will carry the wine forward over the years and decades ahead. It demands much more time until it fully blossoms. I walked through the San Lorenzo vineyard with Gaia Gaja and she showed me some of their recent activity. Every second row is planted with barley that acts as a natural rototiller given its aggressive root system. Borrowing other “New World” ideas, they’ve started compost piles with Californian red worms and are using (with less success, I’m told) wooden tree boxes to repopulate the birds. All of this must seem very odd to the neighbors. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 98 (JS) |
In Bond
€1,005.00 |
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James Suckling (98)Extremely perfumed with strawberries, flowers, cherries and hints of ash and tar. Medium to full-bodied with tightness and raciness to the tannins. Polished, too. Very, very persistent. Try after 2022. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
€844.00 |
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Vinous (94)Angelo Gaja’s Barolo Sperss from the 1988 vintage was added as a last-minute surprise. It enjoyed a very strong showing as it revealed considerable fruit and freshness, both attributes which today are rare in many wines of the vintage. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 97 (VN) |
In Bond
€972.00 |
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Vinous (97)The 1996 Sperss is arguably the most backward of these 1996s from Gaja. Still very young and tightly wound, the 1996 is going to need at least a few years to truly blossom. Even so, it is likely to remain somewhat compact and classically austere in build. The flavors are dark, with plenty of melted road tar, lavender, smoke and gravel undertones that add shades of nuance to this potent and imposing Serralunga wine. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 95 (WA) |
In Bond
€652.00 |
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Wine Advocate (95)Introducing the 2015 Barolo Arione. This is the first vintage produced of the newest wine to join the extended and ever-evolving Conterno portfolio. Only three oak casks were produced: the one I tasted from to write this review, one that was auctioned off to charity and the third botte that ended up becoming part of the iconic Monfortino blend. That fruit from the recently acquired Arione vineyard would be deemed good enough to end up in Monfortino tells a lot about how confident Roberto Conterno is in this product. From a tasting point of view, this wine is characterized by richness and density, with a polished mineral note that never hides from view. The richness of the soils in this vineyard correspond to the density and structure of the wine. Most of the vineyard was planted in the 1960s with some replants throughout the 1980s and 1990s. If Francia is elegance, Arione is power. |
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Piedmont | 1 | - |
In Bond
€621.00 |
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Piedmont | 1 | - |
In Bond
€614.00 |
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Piedmont | 6 | 96 (DC) |
In Bond
€621.00 |
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Decanter (96)With young soils and steep hills, the importance of Arione is easily understood. The southern exposure helped the quality in this vintage and the wine shows a restrained red currant fruit aroma with graceful cinnamon, sweet violet and watermelon, allied to an anise, almost herbal, whiff. Full, refreshing and very elegant yet not without a firm structure, it features an extracted chalky finish. It will age quite well for a 2018. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 98+ (VN) |
In Bond
€972.00 |
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Vinous (98+)The 2010 Barolo Francia is an exotic, beguiling beauty. Lavender, sage, menthol, tobacco and dried rose petals are some of the notes that open up in the glass. Constantly changing in the glass, the 2010 is utterly captivating. The combination of super-expressive aromatics, pliant fruit and pulsating tannins is something to behold. It will be many years before the 2010 is ready to deliver the goods, but it is already utterly captivating from the very first taste. Readers should note that, because of new vineyard regulations, the Cascina Francia is now known simply as Francia. In 2010, the corks had already been printed by the time that decision was made, so the corks on the 2010 read 'Cascina Francia.' |
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Piedmont | 2 | 98 (VN) |
In Bond
€818.00 |
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Vinous (98)The 2015 Barolo Francia is a soaring, regal wine endowed with tremendous intensity in all of its dimensions. The most reticent and inward of the 2015s, the Francia possesses superb textural density and persistence all the way through to the explosive finish. An immense, towering Barolo, the Francia is positively stellar. It is also going to require a number of years to be at its best. In recent years, the Conterno Barolo Francia has often been relatively accessible post bottling, the 2015 is far from that. |
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Piedmont | 5 | 97 (WA) |
In Bond
€652.00 |
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Wine Advocate (97)I tasted the Giacomo Conterno 2017 Barolo Francia shortly before bottling. Like Roberto Conterno's other wines from this controversial vintage, this wine shines with brilliant and unexpected purity and intensity that is harder to find in its peers. It shows a deep understanding of the potential of a warm growing season, and the Nebbiolo is supple, velvety and uncharacteristically exuberant (for a grape whose elegance starts famously with understatement). Francia in Serralunga d'Alba evokes power and profound depth, with black and purple fruit highlights, rusty nail, crème de cassis, grilled rosemary and reddish rock or baked terracotta. The wine carries its considerable fruit weight with grace, and at the end of the day, it offers a complete portrait of vintage, variety and vintner. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 96-98 (WI) |
In Bond
€574.00 |
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The Wine Independent (96-98)The 2018 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Francia is very densely concentrated with fine tannins but it is not revealing much yet as it is so young. When tasted in May 2022 it was due to be bottled the following month. It is deep ruby in color with perfumed violet and freesia aromas on the nose, with oak spice notes. The tannins are firm but beautifully refined as you would expect from this producer. At the moment, the wine is like a beautiful statue, immaculately carved and pristine but not revealing very much. Roberto Conterno felt this wine needed 18 months before approaching and that it will last for 40 years. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 97 (JS) |
In Bond
€636.00 |
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James Suckling (97)Perfumed aromas of grape skin and roses. Medium to full body, super classic and refined. Incredible finesse and length. It is so fine and gorgeous. Makes you want to drink it. Better in 2020 but so beautiful now. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 97+ (VN) |
In Bond
€627.00 |
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Vinous (97+)Just as it was from barrel, the 2014 Barolo Cerretta is a total stunner. Gracious, perfumed and light on its feet, the Cerretta has so much to say. Time in the glass just serves to bring out the wine's striking inner perfume, natural depth and crystalline intensity. Despite its relatively recent bottling, the 2014 is super-expressive, with tons of detail and a finish that goes on forever. The 2014 Cerretta has a lot to offer, although today the wine's aromatic depth and silkiness are especially alluring. |
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Piedmont | 2 | 95 (VN) |
In Bond
€652.00 |
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Vinous (95)Conterno's 2017 Barolo Cerretta offers a classic expression of this Serralunga site. The tannins are just a bit nervy today, which lends a feeling of energy and brightness that is palpable. Bright floral and white pepper accents lift bright red-toned fruit in a Barolo that is wonderfully translucent and nuanced. |
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Piedmont | 4 | 95-97 (WA) |
In Bond
€621.00 |
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Wine Advocate (95-97)Tasted from barrel, the Giacomo Conterno 2018 Barolo Cerretta is shaping up to be a beauty. What stands out most at this very young stage is the quality and the elegant tightness of the tannins. Cerretta fruit from Serralunga d'Alba makes for powerful, structured and concentrated Nebbiolo that is delivered with naked clarity and outstanding purity. These qualities are clearly linked to the vineyard site and less to the conservative efforts executed at the winery. You taste the crunch or the nervous quality of the grape skins and pulp with dark and purple berry nuances and rusty or mineral overtones that hint at the more significant presence of clay in these soils. |
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Piedmont | 2 | 95 (VN) |
In Bond
€849.00 |
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Vinous (95)The 2019 Barolo Cerretta is positively stellar. Remarkably harmonious for a bottled, young Conterno Barolo, the Cerretta is sublime. It's as if the tannins are totally wrapped into the fruit. The tannins are present, but also not there. Bright cherry, red plum, cinnamon and blood orange all race across the palate. The luxuriousness of the fruit is so captivating. In 2019, the Cerretta is a Barolo of pure and total seduction. I don't think I have ever tasted anything like it here. Best of all, the 2019 will drink well with minimal cellaring. It is already irresistibly delicious. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 99 (VN (AG)) |
In Bond
€3,045.00 |
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Vinous - Antonio Galloni (99)Can you believe Conterno’s 2001 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is next? Neither can I. What a wine. Sweet, perfumed and also massively endowed in every dimension, the 2001 Monfortino is another wine that pushes all the right buttons. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 98 (JS) |
In Bond
€2,645.00 |
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James Suckling (98)Incredibly polished Monfortino. The tannins caress your palate. Aromas of marzipan and dark fruits with orange peel and cedar. Dried fruits. Extremely floral as well. Full-bodied, with super fine tannins and a great elegance. You can drink now but will age for ages. Hard to believe it spent almost eight years in cask. Out in October. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 99 (VN) |
In Bond
€2,710.00 |
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Vinous (99)The 2008 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is one of my favorite recent vintages. It is the product of an exceptionally long and cool growing year marked by a highly unusual cold snap at the very end of the season. Those conditions yielded a Monfortino that is pure silkiness and sensuality, with striking aromatic presence and exceptional balance. There is an exoticism to the 2008 that is impossible to miss, while the impression is of tannins that are virtually non-existent. The 2008 was such a complete wine right from the outset that Roberto Conterno decided to bottle it with six years in cask as opposed to the more typical seven. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 99.0 |
In Bond
€1,640.00 |
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Piedmont | 1 | 100 (WA) |
In Bond
€2,360.00 |
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Wine Advocate (100)The Giacomo Conterno 2014 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is made with 100% fruit from the Francia cru, which is not the case for the 2015 vintage (that sees 22% Arione in the blend) or likely future vintages. In a sense, this 100-point wine represents a milestone or a chapter finale in the long and exciting trajectory of Italy's collected and revered Monfortino. I've had the great fortune of tasting this wine from barrel over the course of four years and twice again this summer during my visits to the Conterno estates (in Gattinara and in Monforte d'Alba). |
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Piedmont | 3 | 99 (VN) |
In Bond
€2,605.00 |
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Vinous (99)The 2015 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is magical. This is the first vintage that includes fruit from Arione, so the 2015 is 80% Francia and 20% Arione. That marks a return to Monfortino as a multi-vineyard wine, which it mostly was until 1978, when the first Monfortino from Francia was made. The combination of sites works so well. I remember tasting the 2015 as separate components and seeing what exactly the Arione piece adds, and that is aromatic explosiveness, texture and breadth. Rose petal, mint, sage, tobacco and cedar lend complexity. More than anything else, though, I am blown away by how utterly delicious the 2015 is. Of course, the 2015 will be better in time, but its pedigree is plainly evident today. Roberto Conterno gave the 2015 just five years in cask, the shortest time in wood for any Monfortino in recent memory, maybe ever. Like most producers around the world, Conterno is thinking deeply about what the optimal period of time in oak is. As for the 2015, it is a flat-out stunner in every way. |
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Piedmont | 193 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
€655.00 |
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Vinous (94)“The 2010 Barbaresco Riserva Vanotu 60th Anniversary Limited Edition is drinking beautifully. Silky and perfumed, the 2010 is now entering its first plateau of maturity. Sweet tobacco, dried flowers, menthol and coffee lend striking aromatic complexity as the 2010 opens in the glass. The 2010 is rich and layered, as all of Giorgio Pelissero's wines are, but time has mellowed some of that exuberance.” |
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