Wine Advisor
Giacomo Conterno, Barbera d'Alba Vigna Francia 2004
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
2004 Barbera d’Alba Cascina Francia—Conterno’s 2004 Barbera is unquestionably a highly appealing wine that captures the essence of this great vintage. It offers gorgeous sweet dark fruit and licorice flavors on a classically structured frame with great length and freshness. Showing higher acidity and more aromatic complexity than the 2003, it will be fascinating to compare this with the outstanding 2003 once it is bottled later this year. (90-92), 3/06 (US Importers: Polaner Selections, Mount Kisco, NY; The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA)
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
2004 Barbera d’Alba Cascina Francia (from cask)—Saturated ruby with violet highlights. Very fresh and spiced on the nose. The 2004 Barbera is an explosive wine packed with sensations of ripe, jammy blue and black fruit, licorice, and smoke, finishing with excellent freshness and balance. Sexy and alluring, it shows livelier color and more delineation in both the aromas and the flavors than the 2003. A real gem. (91-93) points, tasted 05/05 A quick visit to this estate, which I profiled in depth in Issue 2, provided an opportunity to get a progress report on several wines prior to their imminent bottling this summer, as well as to taste a few older releases from the bottle. For more on the wines of Giacomo Conterno, see page 48.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Readers who find the style of the 2003 too extreme will delight in a more balanced 2004 Barbera d’Alba. It is a stunning effort, showing expressive nuances of flowers and spices on the nose followed by an utterly seductive explosion of sweet fruit, tar, licorice and pomegranate sensations, with superb length and a finish that lasts forever. Graceful and poised, this supremely elegant Barbera will redefine for many the heights the varietal can achieve. It will show at its best when served in a glass suitable for Nebbiolo or Pinot Noir. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2014. Importers: Doug Polaner, Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY; tel. (914) 244-0404 and The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484
About the Producer
Roberto Conterno took full control over the running of this famous estate just outside Monforte d'Alba, Piedmont, in 2003, when his father Giovanni Conterno passed away. Giovanni was the oldest son of the winery founder, Giacomo Conterno, and initially worked alongside his brother, Aldo Conterno. In 1969 the two sibling winemakers parted ways to create their own styles of Barolo. Roberto continues to practice the traditional winemaking techniques of the area, producing long-lived, earthy wines. The focus has been strictly on nebbiolo and barbera since their freisa and dolcetto vines were grubbed up. Roberto also stresses the importance of organic viticulture especially in the early years of the vines' growth. The estate is most renowned for its great Barolos, Cascina Francia and Monfortino Riserva. The latter is produced only in the very best of vintages and aged at least 7 years in large oak 'botti'. This is regarded as one of the finest Barolos produced today and by many as the finest wine made from Nebbiolo in the world.
