Wine Advisor
Giacomo Conterno, Barolo Francia 2000
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2000 Barolo Cascina Francia is beautifully fleshy and supple in its radiant red fruit, freshly cut roses and licorice. The 2000 is a wonderfully open, seductive vintage for Cascina Francia, yet the wine has more than enough freshness to drink well for many, many years. At times, the 2000 tastes like it could have been made yesterday! Round, silky tannins frame the generous finish. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2030. These are two exceptional Baroli from proprietor Roberto Conterno. The Cascina Francia shows the sexiness of the vintage, while Monfortino captures the power. The former is ready to deliver pleasure now, the latter may very well prove to be nearly immortal.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
2000 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia—Lively medium ruby. Heady aromas of cherries, roses, cocoa, mint and minerals jump out of the glass. After a few minutes the characteristic herbal note that is often present in this wine appears. The wine exhibits a caressing and long palate, with flavors of rich sweet fruits and good acidity on the finish. This is very accessible now. 92 points/drink after 2007, 12/04
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
2000 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia (from barrel)—Medium garnet in color, this Cascina Francia is soft and caressing on the palate with typical aromas of roses, tar and licorice. (90-92) points
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
2000 Barolo Cascina Francia—Lively medium red. A soft and elegant Cascina Francia that shows very clean, focused notes of sweet red cherry fruit, licorice, cocoa and mint, with good length and overall balance. Although it lacks the complexity of the greatest vintages, the precocious 2000 is accessible and immensely rewarding today. 92 points/drink after 2007, tasted 05/05 Conterno makes two Barolos both from the Cascina Francia vineyard, one of the great monopole sites in Piedmont. The vineyard was purchased by Giovanni Conterno in 1974 and measures six hectares. Cascina Francia is made in a traditional style, with natural yeasts and temperature-controlled fermentation and maceration lasting 3-4 weeks. The wines are aged in large Slavonian oak casks and are bottled in the summer of the fourth year following the harvest. In great vintages a special selection of the best fruit is made in the vineyard and that fruit becomes the Barolo Riserva Monfortino, perhaps the single most iconic wine in all of Piedmont. Monfortino is also made with natural yeasts, although fermentation/maceration time is longer, lasting 4-5 weeks, and is carried out without the aid of temperature control. Current vintages are aged seven years in cask, but past vintages have seen as much as 10 years of cask aging before being released. Monfortino is legendary for its extraordinary longevity, which is usually measured in decades.
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.
1961(2)1988(1)1998(1)1999(1)
Package Size
