September
28, 2005
Solaia
& Conterno-Fantino's Barolos
In This Issue
A
Note from Sergio
The team of Claudio Conterno and Guido Fantino manage to incorporate
innovation and technology in much the same way the neighboring
Valentino of Rocche dei Manzoni and Domenico Clerico have
without eliminating the personality of the Nebbiolo grape.
This is because they believe in the strength of their land
and its influence on their grapes and therefore only the finishing
touches are applied in the cellar. Today, I am featuring small
quantities of their 2000 and 2001 Barolos from two plots on
the historic Ginestra hillside (Sorì Ginestra and Vigna
del Gris) and their softer and more approachable Parussi from
the Castiglione Falletto township (commune). In addition to
these limited production Barolos, I am pleased to offer Monprà
from the historic 1990 vintage – an exclusive offer
from IWM and must-have experience for the connoisseur!
From Piemonte, I return to the Tignanello estate for a
historic bottling of Antinori’s signature-blend Solaia.
The 2002 harvest was one of the most challenging in recent
years – in my opinion it was a pleasant break that
forced producers to make less extracted, high alcohol, sappy
wines – probably not too popular in the international
market but well liked for drinkers that value finesse, texture
and silkiness over richness. To maintain the excellence
of Antinori’s flagship wine, the Solaia is not produced
in poor vintages. That is a hint to anyone who might dismiss
this wine due to lack of hype for the vintage. The 2002
constitutes a different make-up from its standard three
grape blend, and this time excludes the Sangiovese and focuses
on the later ripening Cabernets. This decision takes the
wine back to its infancy, where its debut in 1978, which
I’ve recently had and can attest that it’s still
drinking magnificently, wascrafted exclusively from Cabernet
Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, making this a unique treat
for the collector.
Read on below for more on this vintage flashback, the rare
1990 Monprà, and the limited-production Barolos from
Conterno-Fantino (as well as other offerings from the legendary
Ginestra vineyard). Should you have any questions or wish
to purchase these wines please contact a Portfolio Manager
at 212.473.2323 or via e-mail at Perry@italianwinemerchant.com.
All the best,
Sergio Esposito
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Conterno-Fantino
Sorì Ginestra
It is rare among the individualistic personalities that exist
in the Langhe Hills to find two young winemakers with such
a strong willingness to work together. In 1982, at the tender
age of 18, Claudio Conterno and family partnered with Guido
Fantino (ex- cellar master at Prunotto and another young rising
star) to form the Conterno-Fantino
estate. The nucleus of their efforts was cru Ginestra, which
grew to include Vigna del Gris located on the same hilltop
in the commune of Monforte d’Alba (known for austere,
structured Barolos). Early ambitions incorporated the traditional
approach set by their parents. But in 1985 the duo decided
to experiment with a Nebbiolo/Barbera blend in what is now
the legendary Super Piemonte, Monprà, which included
the use of barrique. In 1994 they built a state-of- the-art
winery in the Bricco Bastia area where they brought innovation
and technology to the Nebbiolo vines they had mastered. The
pair remains at the forefront of advancement in quality winemaking,
and they firmly believe that vigilant viticultural practices
are the essence of great wine.
Conterno-Fantino
2001 ‘Sorì Ginestra’ – $89.95
This house’s flagship Ginestra has received critical
acclaim from Veronelli, Gambero Rosso, and Wine Spectator.
While I don’t endorse the rating system, I agree this
is an exceptional wine. Combined with an altitude of 300
meters, the southern exposure on the historic vineyard plot
provides ideal sunlight through the early morning and afternoon.
The marly, calcareous terrain here is conducive to remarkable
structure and cellar life. With the 2000 vintage experiencing
warm weather year round, harvest took place early, on September
29, with a temperature- controlled fermentation lasting
just six days to produce an approachable blockbuster, as
opposed to the more structured and austere 2001 vintage
which demands patience and cellaring.
Also available:
Conterno-Fantino
2000 Barolo ‘Sorì Ginestra’ – $69.92
Legendary Ginestra Cru Six Pack
Like Cannubi and Bussia, Ginestra is one of Barolo’s
historic vineyards that has captured the eyes of Domenico
Clerico, Paolo Conterno, Elio Grasso, and Seghesio. Located
in the commune of Monforte d’Alba, in close proximity
of the Serralunga border, the wines of this area tend to
be dark in color, potent in structure and highly concentrated.
However, producer style does have a substantial impact on
the final product especially through the innovative eyes
of Clerico and Conterno-Fantino. Here are three prized wines
from the legendary Ginestra vineyard that will provide a
better understanding of producer variance:
Ginestra Six-Pack
Paolo
Conterno 1999 Barolo ‘Ginestra’ – $88.00
Conterno-Fantino
2000 Barolo ‘Sorì Ginestra’ – $69.92
Clerico
2001 Barolo ‘Ciabot Mentin Ginestra’ –
$64.95
6 pack (2 of each) – $445.74
Order Here
Click
for more Barolo from IWM!
Conterno-Fantino
Vigna del Gris & Parussi
Conterno-Fantino
2001 Barolo ‘Vigna del Gris’ $89.95
The ‘Vigna del Gris’ vineyard lies just 100 meters
from the more famous Sorì Ginestra plot within the
‘Ginestra’ vineyard in Monforte. “The subsoil
in ‘Vigna del Gris’ is slightly more sandy, but
is mostly calcareous like ‘Sorì Ginestra’
and the exposure is to the southeast,” explained Guido
Fantino. The Barolo ‘Vigna del Gris’ is dark ruby
red-granite. Cigar box, spice, red and blackberries on the
nose, it is full- bodied and concentrated with a nice balance
of acidity and tannin.
Conterno-Fantino
2001 Barolo ‘Parussi’ $69.95
Conterno-Fantino 2000 Barolo ‘Parussi’ $64.95
“‘Parussi’ is a vineyard that we rent
in Castiglione Falletto (wines produced here typically land
in the middle ground between the austere, concentrated wines
of Monforte and the aromatic, elegant wines of the Barolo
township ),” says Guido. “The soil [calcareous
and arenaceous] is looser than in Monforte and as a result,
our Parussi is a very elegant, refined Barolo, a little
bit lighter and approachable than the wines from our Monforte
vineyards.” The Parussi is dark granite in color,
intense on the nose with persistent notes of spices, oak,
and raspberry. On the palate, elegant and flavorful with
polished tannins.
Conterno-Fantino 2001 Six Pack
The Barolo ‘Sorì Ginestra,’ ‘Vigna
del Gris,’ and ‘Parussi’ Six Pack offers
Barolo lovers the opportunity to taste two Monforte wines
and a Castiglione Falletto wine side-by-side. While both
townships lie to the east of the Barolo-Alba road and share
Helvetian-era subsoil (which makes for wines that tend to
come around more slowly than those made to the west), this
pairing perfectly illustrates the marvelous differences
between Barolo crus.
Three 2001 Cru Barolos of Conterno-Fantino Six-Pack
Conterno-Fantino
2001 Barolo ‘Parussi’ – $69.95
Conterno-Fantino 2001 Barolo ‘Sorì Ginestra’
– $89.95
Conterno-Fantino 2001 Barolo ‘Vigna del Gris’
– $89.95
6 pack (2 of each) – $499.70
Click
to order Conterno-Fantino!
Conterno-Fantino
1990 Monprà
Conterno-Fantino
1990 Monprà $69.00
Conterno-Fantino began making Monprà, a Langhe Rosso
blend, in 1985, their first experiment with barrique-aged
wines. The 1990 bottling was among the last vintages where
they did not add any Cabernet to the blend. “In the
olden days, they used to add small amounts of Barbera to the
Nebbiolo to give it more color,” says Guido Fantino.
“Until 1993, we made this wine with 50% Nebbiolo and
50% Barbera grown in the township of Monforte. We gave it
a fantasy name, Monprà, which means ‘the hill
in the pasture’ in our dialect.” The 1990 Monprà
was classified as a Vino da Tavola (the Langhe Rosso DOC did
not go into effect until 1994). Fermentation lasted 10 days
with repeated pumping over (the winery had not yet installed
rotary fermenters). The wines were aged separately for 18
months in French oak before being blended and bottled.
The wine is granite red in color, medium-bodied with great
depth. As it begins to aerate in the glass, it presents
notes of currant, raspberry, and blackberry preserves, sweet
tobacco, licorice, black pepper and hints of mint. After
a few minutes, stronger notes of mint, herbs, anise, cocoa,
and yeast begin to emerge. Powerful and elegant in the mouth,
the wine shows the richness of Nebbiolo’s soft, supple
tannins. The finish is persistent, with notes of anise and
licorice.
More Super Piemontese
What is a Super Piemontese blend? Often they are technically
classified as Langhe Rosso DOC, Monferrato Rosso DOC, or
Piemonte DOC. But this category is not limited to these
DOCs nor are they exclusive to this category, as there are
many great single-vineyard monovarietal wines that fall
into these classifications. In fact, these three classifications
act as umbrella denominations for wines that do not necessarily
fit the rigid regulations of established DOCGs like Barolo
and Barbaresco. This category also encompasses wines that
break the rules and are labeled simply Vino da Tavola or
IGT. Super Piemontese Blends are among the most approachable
wines from the region and in many cases, they represent
the best value in terms of quality and price.
The predominant appellation is Langhe Rosso, which includes
all the winegrowing townships in Cuneo. It refers to the
Langhe Hills – where Barolo and Barbaresco are produced
– and it allows producers here to experiment with
different approaches to winemaking. Certain producers, generally
of the modern (or moderately modern) school, believe that
these additional grapes can soften or add fruit to the more
angular Nebbiolo.
Monprà and Super Piemonte Six-Pack
Conterno-Fantino
1990 Monprà – $69.00
(Nebbiolo, Barbera)
Gaja
2000 Sito Moresco – $59.95
(Nebbiolo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon)
Cascina
Ebreo 1999 Segreto – $60.50
(Barbera, Nebbiolo)
Aldo
Conterno 2001 Il Favot – $58.00
(Nebbiolo - please note that this wine is classified Langhe
Nebbiolo)
Parusso
2000 ‘Bricco Rovella’ – $38.66
(Nebbiolo, Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon)
Clerico
2001 ‘Arte’ – $39.00
(Nebbiolo, Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon)
6 pack (1 of each) – $325.11
Click for more wine
from Piemonte!
Solaia:
Historic Flashback
Antinori
2002 Solaia $109.00
Solaia, the flagship wine of Italy’s best known producer,
is the golden child of Piero Antinori and esteemed enologist
Giacomo Tachis, whose magic touch has graced the greatest
of Super Tuscans (Sassicaia, Tignanello, Sammarco, and Argiano).
The wine was born in 1978 as a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon
and Cabernet Franc. In 1982 the winemaker began to include
Sangiovese. The grapes used to make this wine are grown exclusively
in the eponymous vineyard (named for its excellent exposure,
from sole, Italian for “sun”), a 10-hectare plot
on the Tignanello estate. Antinori only makes the Solaia wine
in good vintages (for example, the 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984,
and 1992 vintages were not released).
Historically, Solaia has been made using 75% Cabernet Sauvignon
(which gives the wine its famed potential for aging), 20%
Sangiovese (which gives the wine its finesse), and 5% Cabernet
Franc (which imparts aroma). The 2002 Solaia is a rare vintage
where the winemaker chose not to use Sangiovese (which did
not ripen as hoped). The result is an opportunity to taste
and cellar a Solaia that harkens back to its earliest vintages
when Antinori and its enologist Tachis made the wine without
Sangiovese. This unique vintage is sure to be among the
most collectible in recent memory.
Also available:
Antinori
2001 Solaia $164.91
Antinori 2000 Solaia $789.00 (3.0L)
Antinori 1990 Solaia $389.00
Antinori 1988 Solaia $269.00
Click for more
Super Tuscans!
Catch
IWM in Miami and Chicago!
Miami International Wine Fair
Featuring Sergio Esposito
James L. Knight International Center
Saturday, October 1, 2005
2:00-7:00pm
Florida’s largest wine trade show will return for its
fourth annual edition to the James L. Knight Center in Downtown
Miami during the first weekend of October. This comprehensive
program of sit-down tastings, wine dinners, and a Grand Tasting
attracted over 4,000 visitors last year and included nearly
400 wineries from 19 countries. IWM’s own Sergio Esposito
will present a Revival of Classical Italian Wines tasting
(Oct. 1, 5-6pm), which will include wines from Bea, Mascarello,
and Quintarelli as well as the obscure sweet wine from 1959,
Solaria Jonica. Be sure to stop by the IWM table at the Grand
Tasting!
Chicago Wine and Food Festival
Featuring Sergio Esposito and IWM
Friday - Sunday, October 22-23, 2005
Chicago’s third annual three day event has quickly
become one of the largest festivals of its kind in the country.
This year Sergio Esposito and IWM will be involved in three
events in our effort to bring quality Italian wine across
the country.
Reserve Wine Tasting
Saturday, October 22, 2005, 1:00 – 3:00pm at Peninsula
Hotel
This year’s reserve tasting will be presented at the
Penninsula Hotel in downtown Chicago, and will put some
of the finest wine to come from the Boot up against the
first growths of Bordeaux and cult Cabernets of California.
Catch Sergio as he presents Italy against these cellar staples.
Revival of Classical Italian Wines Seminar with Sergio
Esposito
Sunday, October 23, 2005 at Kendall College
Catch Sergio Esposito as he provides a lecture on the The
Revival of Classical Italian Wine. Like Miami, he will showcase
the likes of Montevertine, Mascarello, Quintarelli, Movia
and a special 1959 dessert wine.
Grand Tasting Event
Sunday, October 23, 2005, 11:30a.m. - 5:30pm
On that same day, IWM will be pouring at the Grand Tasting
with red and white wines that will range from the indigenous
Ribolla Gialla grape varietal found in the Friuli region
of northern Italy, to the king of wines, Barolo and a rare
vintage treat.
Visit the Miami Wine Fair website and click on "seminars"
for more on Sergio's Revival of Classical Italian Wines
tasting!
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