Conterno Fantino offers a good opportunity to talk about “modernism” in Barolo. By now, everybody knows that Barolo modernism went too far in the 1990s and 2000s. Many wines were made that didn’t taste of Piedmont, often in a deliberate effort to produce internationally-styled wines to please journalists who grew up drinking California Cabernet.Conterno Fantino has what you might think of as a modern approach – even if its modernist flourishes have been dialed back in the last few vintages. But the approach that they landed on comes from a very different place. The goal here is not to make international wines, but wines that do the utmost to express the unique terroirs of Monforte.It starts, of course, with farming. This is a winery that is fully organic (certified) – and has been since 1996 – and that pays close attention to every vine. At harvest time, they bring the grapes in small baskets and sort ferociously. They ferment with indigenous yeasts (they use a “mother” yeast preserved from their 2011 Barolo grapes) in a winery so clean that you would be comfortable eating off the floor. They think of their wine as natural, though nobody would mistake it for the latest offering at a Raw Wine show. What gives the wine a modernist flair is the shorter maceration times (about 15-18 days) and the use of some barriques (in addition to the traditional botte). It is the winery’s belief that this approach maximizes terroir expression by ensuring pure, polished fruit.
Professional Reviews
Antonio Galloni
Wine Spectator
Details
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Grape Variety
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Vintage
2004
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Size
750ml
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Farming Practice
Organic
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Style
Earthy , Rich
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Sweetness
Dry
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Body
Full Bodied