Wine & Spirits - Winter 2019 - 64

Top 100 Wineries

O LD WO R LD

Comm. G.B. Burlotto

Conterno Fantino

ITALY | PIEDMONT
The greatest producers rise to the challenge in difficult vintages,
and that's what Fabio Alessandria did in 2014, with three breathtaking Barolos.

ITALY | PIEDMONT
A new Barolo from the Castelleto cru bolstered Conterno Fantino's already impressive lineup.

YOU'D EXPECT AN ESTATE with nearly 170 vintages under its belt to have developed some
deep traditions, and that's true at G.B. Burlotto.
Fabio Alessandria, the 45-year-old winemaker,
continues to follow his grandfather's practices
of whole-cluster fermentations, foot-treading
and long macerations in open-top wooden vats
to make Barolo from the Monvigliero cru, the
crown jewel in his lineup. It is one of the most
distinctive wines in all of Barolo, the whole-cluster approach amplifying the natural freshness
and spiciness typical of wines from this vineyard
in the commune of Verduno. That freshness is
even more apparent in the 2014 Monvigliero,
from a cool, wet vintage that was saved by a
sunny autumn. Still, it was challenging enough
that Alessandria decided not to bottle Barolo
Acclivi, his blend of the best grapes from several
crus. Instead, he used that fruit to flesh out his
Barolo, making it one of the best classico Barolos
of 2014. The family also owns a plot of vines in
Cannubi, in the Barolo commune, which Alessandria vinifies with destemmed grapes and a
shorter maceration to account for its more powerful tannins. It's darker and earthier than his
Verduno Barolos, yet shows the clarity and precision that mark all of his wines. -S.J.

FABIO
ALESSANDRIA

FOUNDED:

1850

OWNER :

Marina Burlotto

2014 Barolo Monvigliero ($80, 95 points) Scents
of fresh bay leaf, mint and rose petals leap from the
glass in this fresh 2014 Monvigliero. Its cherry and
berry flavors are shy at first, needing a few hours to
flesh out as spine-tingling acidity keeps the flavors
precise.

WINEMAKER :

Fabio Alessandria
VITICULTURIST:

Giuseppe
Alessandria
ACRES OWNED :

7,000 to 8,000
97%
IMPORTER:

Bacchanal
Imports, Port
Chester, NY
64

2013 Barolo Castelleto Vigna Pressenda ($120,
94 points) This is a lively, buoyant Barolo, with bright
fruit tones and soaring aromas of rosemary, juniper,
dark spice and flowers. Flavors of fleshy plum and
ripe berries mingle with sweet tomato notes; chalky
tannins heighten the wine's bright personality.

1982
Claudio
Conterno and
Guido Fantino
FOUNDED:
OWNERS:

2014 Barolo Cannubi ($85, 95 points) This wine's
cherry flavors are cool and high-toned, brightened by
notes of fresh herbs and orange peel. Darker brushy
tones suggest this will gain more layers with time, as
the taut tannins begin to relax.

WINEMAKERS:

2014 Barolo ($55, 93 points) The translucent rubygarnet color of Burlotto's classic Barolo matches its
intricate aromas and lithe, agile frame. The delicate
cherry and strawberry fruit flavors begin to flesh
out with time in the glass, taking on notes of herbs,
orange zest and white pepper buoyed by a core of
bright acidity.

CASES PRODUCED:

CASES PRODUCED:
ESTATE GROWN:

GUIDO FANTINO
AND CLAUDIO
CONTERNO

WINE & SPIRITS

BUYING GUIDE 2020

CONTERNO FANTINO REPRESENTS THE combined
efforts of two families who came together in
1982 to make wine in the eastern hills of Monforte d'Alba. Founders Claudio Conterno and
Guido Fantino still run the operation, with winemaking help from Guido's son Fabio as well as a
host of other family members and a few friends.
They have carved out a reputation for vibrant
and silky single-cru Barolos that offer plenty of
youthful appeal by combining traditional practices like hand-harvesting and ambient yeast
fermentations with more modern approaches
like short macerations and barrique aging. It all
starts with organically farmed fruit from exceptional crus such as Ginestra, Conterno Fantino's
first plot and oldest vines. In 2012, the families also began leasing parcels in the Castelleto
cru, just north of Ginestra on the same ridge;
the 2013, their first vintage of Barolo Castelleto
Vigna Pressenda, is an impressive debut. The
experience of Conterno Fantino's vineyard workers paid off in the cool, rainy growing season of
2014 with a set of impressive releases. While production was down 40 percent for the year, the
wines are impeccably balanced, with fine tannins
and energizing acidity. -S.J.

Guido and Fabio
Fantino
VITICULTURIST:

Claudio Conterno
ACRES OWNED: 64
12,500
ESTATE GROWN:

90%
IMPORTER:

Empson USA,
Alexandria, VA

2014 Barolo Ginestra Vigna Sorì Ginestra ($120,
94 points) This comes from some of Conterno Fantino's oldest vines, up to 40 years of age. The wine
leads off with scents of green cardamom, mint and
anise that follow through with fresh herbal flavors.
Notes of dark berries and sweet plums unfold as the
wine opens, the fruit held taut by zippy acidity and
fine-grained tannins.
2014 Barolo Ginestra Vigna del Gris ($110, 93
points) This is impressively ripe for the vintage, with
cool acidity that makes its red cherry and strawberry
flavors pop. Notes of cayenne pepper and Mexican
chocolate add to the wine's lively personality.

Wine & Spirits - Winter 2019

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