Wine Advisor
Giacomo Conterno, Barolo Riserva Monfortino 2010
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is one of the most balanced, harmonious Monfortinos I’ve ever tasted. Aromas of dried rose petals and oranges. It’s full-bodied yet compacted and tight. Tannins are perfectly managed. All in harmony. This is from one of the latest harvests ever; it started October 29. So fabulous and so perfect now, why wait? But will age for decades. 99 points.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is a mesmerizing wine with flowers such as violets and roses. Leather undertones with bright red fruits. Peaches and some lemongrass, too. It seems to change all the time in the glass. Full-bodied, tight and complete with ultra-fine, powerful tannins that are just seamless and beautiful. The richness of flavors is incredible. Yet, subtle and reserved. Endless pleasure. Will age for ever. Upgraded from two years ago. Better in 2022
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is a mesmerizing wine with flowers such as violets and roses. Leather undertones with bright red fruits. Peaches and some lemongrass, too. It seems to change all the time in the glass. Full-bodied, tight and complete with ultra-fine, powerful tannins that are just seamless and beautiful. The richness of flavors is incredible. Yet, subtle and reserved. Endless pleasure. Will age forever. Upgraded from two years ago. Better in 2022
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
A masterpiece in the making, the 2010 Barolo Riserva Monfortino presents the best side of this iconic vintage. This unique growing season was very long and shaped by important diurnal temperature shifts that affirm the wine's color, aromas and structure. The vintage set the conditions for wines that could offer a profound sense of depth and structure, while maintaining that impossible balance with finesse and elegance. This towering wine achieves both with immaculate precision. The bouquet is shaped by buoyant and vibrant notes of wild berry, licorice and white truffle. Delicate menthol tones also rise seductively from the bouquet. The wine peels back in delicate layers. Roberto Conterno uses the curious word "creamy" to describe this wine. He means this as a synonym for silkiness, smoothness and fine persistence.
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
The 2010 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is a perfect wine and there are few things I am more sure of in this life. This is an extraordinary creation that bursts from the glass with a level of distinct intensity and elegance that is nothing short of breathtaking. The wine literally evokes an emotional and deeply visceral reaction thanks to the lasting impression it makes on your heart, mind and gut. This Barolo opens to a delicate garnet color that is brightened with crystalline luminosity. The bouquet offers an immediate curtain-raiser with chiseled aromas of wild berry, licorice, white truffle and tar. That explosive start is followed by a mounting crescendo of complexity and nuance. The wine is extremely silky and polished in terms of mouthfeel and this helps to underline its impressive persistence. Bravo!
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
I debated whether or not to include the 2010 Barolo Riserva Monfortino in this tasting. Conventional wisdom says it is way too young, especially from magnum. You know what? I hate conventional wisdom. One of the undeniable truisms is that Monfortino is more enjoyable young now than it was twenty years ago. As for the 2010, it is every bit as monumental as everyone in the room expects. A wine of breadth and grandeur, the 2010 boasts tremendous depth in every dimension. Time in the glass brings out kirsch, rose petal, menthol, leather and mocha nuances, but the 2010 is ultimately a wine to adore for its complete and profound beauty. From magnum it is truly mesmerizing.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Every bit as magnificent as it has always been from cask, the 2010 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is utterly compelling. Captivating aromatics make a strong first impression. Nuanced and vivid on the palate, the 2010 Monfortino possesses remarkable finesse and power. Classic Monfortino notes of dried rose petal, leather, licorice and incense develop beautifully in the glass as the wine literally takes hold of all the senses. When it was in cask the 2010 was quite structured, but in two tastings after its recent bottling the 2010 has been much more elegant. At times, the 2010 reminds me of the 2004, with perhaps a bit less aromatic intensity but more structure. On paper the 2010 is very high in tannin, and yet that is not the way it feels at all, at least not at this point in its life. A vivid, thrilling wine, the 2010 will soon take its place among the greatest Monfortinos ever made.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
It's always great to get a glimpse of Monfortino as it ages in barrel. The 2010 is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. Sweet red cherries, rose petals, smoke, licorice and savory herbs open up in the glass, but it is the wine's statuesque, towering personality that stands out most. Layers of nuance continue to build in a crescendo of aromas, flavors and textures that dazzles. Firm, chalky tannins support the huge finish. Conterno told me the 2010 might get an extra year in barrel to tame the the tannins, so it may be a while before the 2010 sees the light of day. When it does, the 2010 will make an eloquent case for itself among the greatest Monfortinos ever made.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The only problem with the 2010 Monfortino is that it won't be out for a few years and is not going to be ready for far beyond that. Today, the 2010 reminds me of the 2004 - a magical Barolo - but with more of everything. More fruit, more structure and more energy. Explosive yet refined, the 2010 is a marvelously complete Barolo with a huge future.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Conterno's 2010 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is shaping up to be a modern-day legend, and I say that having very recently enjoyed perfect bottles of the 1947, 1955, 1961, 1971, 1978, 1982, 1999 and 2002, among others. Dried rose petals, smoke, mint, licorice are some of the many notes that emerge from the 2010 Monfortino. There is no real need to taste the 2010, as the aromas alone are captivating. The 2010 is rich, dense and powerful to the core. With time in the glass, a darker range of smoke, iron, tar, tobacco and new leather come to the fore. As great as a Grand Cru Burgundy, First Growth Bordeaux or top-flight Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2010 is a towering, majestic Monfortino that will thrill readers for 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.
1958(1)1961(1)1985(1)1990(1)1993(1)1996(2)1997(1)1998(3)1999(3)2000(2)2001(2)2002(4)2004(7)2005(4)2006(5)2008(5)
Package Size
3 x 75cl
