CRITIC REVIEWS
Antonio Galloni
The 2014 Monfortino, on the other hand, belongs to a group of later-ripening years that includes 2002 and 2008. Dark and intensely aromatic, the 2014 is also supremely refined, especially within the context of young Barolo. It s another wine that ideally is best forgotten in the cellar for at least a few years.
Monica Larner
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). Roberto Conterno has long been referring to 2014 as "the vintage of his heart." There had been challenging rain during the summer, but by the end of August, Roberto knew that a window of warm and dry weather could make 2014 "the vintage of the century," he tells me. On cue, the skies opened, and the sun came shining through in September and lasted through harvest in the second half of October. As a result, this was a very long growing season and that is something the Nebbiolo grape loves most. You taste this in the tannic quality of the wine that is long, silky, elegant and firm. That quality texture and structure will carry this bottle over a half century of bottling aging, or more. From an analytical point of view, this 2014 vintage is the most tannic Monfortino made in 30 years, but you'd hardly know it thanks to the smooth integration displayed here. The wine's bouquet is nuanced and fine with redcurrant, mint, blood orange, toasted aniseed, baked clay and tarry smoke. Initially, you get a savory touch of succulent grilled meat that adds to the "chewy" quality of the wine that Roberto Conterno often attributes to his favorite vintages of Monfortino. A note about corks: Extreme care is dedicated to quality control, and each of the 4,000 to 5,000 corks ordered for this wine are sniffed by human noses on team Conterno before making the cut.
JancisRobinson.com
Serralunga d Aba. Cask sample. Lustrous ruby. Beautiful freshness and at the same time depth and focus; ripe raspberry with plenty of minerally notes. Truly cool climate and embryonic on the palate ( 2013 is much more ready, this is still so young. I love 2014! ). Gorgeous, fresh succulent and focused palate with finely chiselled tannins that go on and on. Sensationally balanced, super-elegant, deep and yet lithe. (WS)


