Acclaim

The Conterno Fantino 2018 Barbera d’Alba Vignota shows beautiful depth and intensity thanks to its pure and brilliant fruit. This Barbera is absolutely direct and linear in terms of its aromatic delivery with sour cherry, cassis and tart cranberry. Fruit comes from a 5.4-hectare plot that sees a big range in elevation from 200 to 400 meters above sea level with limestone and marl. These conditions are especially conducive to affirming the natural acidity and freshness of this food-friendly wine. An ample 36,500 bottles were made, and you get delicious value here. -Monica Larner

The Conterno Fantino 2016 Barolo Castelletto Vigna Pressenda (with 6,500 bottles produced) draws its fruit from a 1.2-hectare site in Monforte d’Alba with silty soils mixed with sand and clay. It opens to bright cherry and dried raspberry that set the tone for the abundant primary fruit that defines the bouquet. Those red berry flavors cede to cola, spice, mint and rosemary essence. There is an almost exotic quality here spurred forward by pressed blue flower and church incense. However, the big takeaway here is the sheer energy and resonance of this classic Barolo. -Monica Larner

Of these new Baroli from Conterno Fantino, the 2016 Barolo Ginestra Vigna Sorì Ginestra shows the most underlying power, linearity and determination. While the other wines are a little softer and richer, especially on the mid-palate, this wine is all muscle and brawn. With its 15% alcohol content, its abundant bouquet and tight structural presentation, you should count on an extra long drinking window. Wait to pull the cork after the 10-year mark. At this young stage, the bouquet presents layered aromas of red fruit, tar, spice, ferrous earth and candied orange peel. There are hints of mint, eucalyptus and campfire ash. All said and done, this is a 11,700-bottle release of majesty and beauty that will make a proud and important protagonist of any collector’s cellar. -Monica Larner

The Conterno Fantino 2016 Barolo Ginestra Vigna del Gris comes from a site in Monforte d’Alba that has a big component of loose sand in the soils. These well-draining conditions add to the softness and concentrated aromatic intensity of Nebbiolo. In fact, the bouquet here brings us a medley of red and purple fruits with some ripe blackberry and plum. It shows a hint of pretty cherry sweetness with spice, tobacco and candied licorice. The mouthfeel is full and generous, and this supple Barolo wraps smoothly and luxuriously over the palate. Some 9,100 bottles were made.” -Monica Larner

The Conterno Fantino 2016 Barolo Mosconi Vigna Ped shows beautiful richness and precision with abundant fruit, tar, smoke and black licorice. The wine is generous and exuberant in a manner that only Nebbiolo can be. In other words, it offers a big personality on a svelte and slender frame. Maceration times are short, lasting from 12 to 15 days, and the wine ages in barrique for 24 months. The fruit comes from a small site measuring slightly less than a hectare in Monforte d’Alba at a moderately high, cool altitude (at 360 to 380 meters above sea level). The opulence and softness of the winemaking is beautifully balanced against the precision and sharpness that is inherent to this vineyard site. Production is 6,200 bottles. -Monica Larner

The Conterno Fantino 2018 Dolcetto d’Alba Bricco Bastia is a lovely wine with bright fruit, cherry and crushed aspirin. The wine is made exclusively in stainless steel, and it ages in oxygen-free steel containers for 10 months. The grapes are sourced from a high-altitude site at 540 meters above sea level with limestone and clay soils. All these conditions contribute to the freshness of this pretty, food-friendly wine. That crisp acidity would pair with cheesy pasta or lasagna. Production is 14,000 bottles. -Monica Larner

The Conterno Fantino 2018 Langhe Nebbiolo Ginestrino opens to fragrant and delicate aromas straight from the Nebbiolo playlist. The wine opens to pretty aromas of wild cherry, rose, blood orange and iron ore. Winemaking starts with stainless steel and concludes with 10 months in French oak. The vines are planted in clay soils, and when you study the bouquet in depth, you do perceive a tad more structure and concentration as a result. Production is an ample 35,500 bottles. -Monica Larner

The Torraccia del Piantavigna 2015 Gattinara is a very pretty wine with a savory side that is nicely developed and a dark, fruity side to match. Gattinara develops a more utilitarian side to Nebbiolo with wider appeal, especially if you are planning any pairings with simple meat dishes or a pasta with ragù. The wine begs for a hearty dish to round off those blackberry, spice, leather, tar and tobacco aromas. It is fresh and structured but not excessively so, and that’s the key. -Monica Larner

The Torraccia del Piantavigna 2015 Ghemme (made with a blend of 90% Nebbiolo and 10% Vespolina) takes you on a terrific aromatic ride that starts off with an immediate hit of mint or medicinal herb and then veers toward wild berry, rose and pressed violet. That sudden transition between those two sides gives a jolt of energy to the wine. The wine is smooth and silky in terms of mouthfeel, with just enough tannic backbone to hold everything together for the long haul. -Monica Larner

The Torraccia del Piantavigna 2013 Ghemme is a blend of 90% Nebbiolo and 10% Vespolina. The wine presents a very beautiful bouquet with subtle floral aromas behind dried cherry and blackberry. The flavor profile is tart and sour, reflecting the cool vintage and the slightly evolved nature of the wine. You might notice a hint of crushed white pepper on the finish. -Monica Larner