Barolo Monfortino Riserva 2004

The wine in this vintage

A year of great balance, 2004 gave the Langhe generous crops of healthy grapes, with slow ripening that produced classic, fragrant, long-lived Barolos. The 2004 Barolo Monfortino Riserva is considered one of the estate's high points: Robert Parker awarded it 100 points. The nose is complex and deep, with cherry, rose, tar, truffle and exotic spice; the palate has monumental structure, with dense, noble tannins and a freshness that carries an endless finish. Despite its age, it remains young and still evolving: those who cellar it will witness a further slow unfolding towards full maturity.

The producer · Giacomo Conterno

Few names embody classic Barolo as completely as Giacomo Conterno. The story begins in Monforte d'Alba in the early twentieth century: Giacomo founded the business, his son Giovanni bottled the first Barolos, and his grandson, another Giacomo, created Monfortino in the 1920s, a long-aged selection that would become Italy's most legendary wine. In 1974 the family bought Cascina Francia in Serralunga d'Alba, a limestone amphitheatre that has supplied both the Barolo Francia and Monfortino ever since. Roberto Conterno, who joined in 1988 and now runs the estate, has added Cerretta and, in 2015, Arione, the cru bordering Francia, as well as the Nervi estate in Gattinara. The approach is uncompromisingly traditional: low yields, native yeasts, long macerations and ageing in large oak casks. The results are austere, profound Barolos built to last for decades, crafted with a near-obsessive precision that has made the house an absolute reference for collectors and Nebbiolo lovers worldwide.

Critics' scores

• 100 Robert Parker

Technical details

Producer

Giacomo Conterno

Region

Piemonte

Country

Italia

Type

Rosso

Vintage

2004

When to drink

Not yet at its peak

Critics' average

100/100

Sizes

75 cl, Magnum 150 cl, Case of 6 × 75 cl

eWibe code

0560104