Giacomo Conterno "Riserva Monfortino" Barolo 1958

This was the second of two bottles opened. The first was a flat out fake. Yet the bottle, labels, capsule all were perfectly correct and appropriat. On closer inspection the cork had puncture marks on both the top and bottom which explains why this vivid purple wine had notes of bouillion and caramel in it slick and sweetly fruited palate. I will ttrace the history back with this bottle and try to find the little bastard who added this to the world. Che sera sera. So we move on. Now if any bottle should have been a fake it would have been this one. Pristine lables, perfect in everyway, however the wine certainly read more...could be 58 Monfortino. Apon opening aroun 2 pm the wine was dark brown and caramelly. Sweet in the mouth with a bit ofhorsey barnyard and a sprig of herb. Old but still structured, not much fruit. Simple and high toned VA, the finish shows some nice appeal with cocoa, spices, and an echo of strawberry. At around 7 pm this had not improved. the nose is spicier with some mint and a sense of serralunga medicinal notes over the nutty, veal reduction core of maderization. In the mouth the wine ha put on some weight and rounded out a bit but there is not much fruit here and what flavor interest there is , is obscured by the drying tannins on the finish. This was an expensive lesson on not chasing ones dreams, the only perfect wine i every had was a bottle of this.    (hide)

September 2008

02/2003 whoa, what a powerful nose, gun powder bouillon, stunning candied cherry fruit, balsamic note, a bit of caper, caraway, espresso, warm asphalt, leather, blood, saltair - like a punch in the mouth, an iron fist in a velvet boxing glove, vibrant rich and youthful, this wine is brimming with fruit, raspberries, strawberries, and blood orange that leads into a long rich finish has perfect balance, incredibly ripe tannins, and yet is tight and somewhat unevolved, immortal wine. a perfect example of ancient barolo and a testament to long maceration, and years in botti. The only possible complaint read more...that could be made about this wine is that it is slightly involved but none the less my first perfect wine, an astounding100pts    (hide)

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• Monfortino

October 2008

This was the second of two bottles opened. The first was a flat out fake. Yet the bottle, labels, capsule all were perfectly correct and appropriat. On closer inspection the cork had puncture marks on both the top and bottom which explains why this vivid purple wine had notes of bouillion and caramel in it slick and sweetly fruited palate. I will ttrace the history back with this bottle and try to find the little bastard who added this to the world. Che sera sera. So we move on. Now if any bottle should have been a fake it would have been this one. Pristine lables, perfect in everyway, however the wine certainly read more...could be 58 Monfortino. Apon opening aroun 2 pm the wine was dark brown and caramelly. Sweet in the mouth with a bit ofhorsey barnyard and a sprig of herb. Old but still structured, not much fruit. Simple and high toned VA, the finish shows some nice appeal with cocoa, spices, and an echo of strawberry. At around 7 pm this had not improved. the nose is spicier with some mint and a sense of serralunga medicinal notes over the nutty, veal reduction core of maderization. In the mouth the wine ha put on some weight and rounded out a bit but there is not much fruit here and what flavor interest there is , is obscured by the drying tannins on the finish. This was an expensive lesson on not chasing ones dreams, the only perfect wine i every had was a bottle of this.    (hide)

March 2007