and more:
• 1997 Sassetti & Valdicava Brunello
• 1997 Conterno & Bovio Barolo
• 1997 Argiano & Campogiovanni

A Look Back at the Historic Vintage

Today we take a look back at the historic 1997 vintage, with a focus on Italy’s two most collected wines: Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino. For the American Press it was “the vintage of the century,” carrying marks in the high nineties from the likes of Parker, Tanzer, and Wine Spectator. For Sergio and IWM it was a text book, crowd pleasing year that generally produced approachable, ripe, rich, opulent wines marked by less acidity in Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello, and even Amarone. However, from select producers these wines are beginning to show their personality now, and this is an excellent opportunity to taste the collectible gems of '97. There are the staples of Giacomo Conterno, Soldera, and Gaja as well as some faces new to IWM’s e-Letter (Valdicava, Sassetti, Campogiovanni). This is a great opportunity to learn about some of the other selected producers that have earned the IWM Stamp of Approval and rediscovering the great value in Argiano's 1997 Brunello.

If you would like to make a purchase or have further questions regarding the wines or the vintage, please contact Perry Porricelli at 212.473.2323. IWM is also featuring this vintage sampler that captures the nexus of 1997:

1997 VINTAGE SIX PACK
Giacomo Conterno 1997 Barolo Monfortino $259.00
Paolo Conterno 1997 Barolo Ginestra $95.00
Bovio 1997 Barolo Arborina $68.00
Soldera 1997 Brunello Riserva ‘Case Basse’ $299.00
Santa Restituta 1997 Brunello Rennina $129.00
San Felice 1997 Brunello Campogiovanni $98.50

IWM 1997 Vintage Six Pack (6 - 1 of each): $948.50*
IWM 1997 Vintage Case (12 - 2 of each): $1,870.92*
*Free delivery to NYC residents

Click to order the 1997 Brunello/Barolo sampler by fax!

The Barolo/Brunello Masters of 1997

GIACOMO CONTERNO BAROLO:
The late Giovanni Conterno parted ways with his brother Aldo to remain a steadfast traditionalist at the estate of their father, Giacomo Conterno. Made with the help of his son Roberto, the 1997 Monfortino marks one of the last classic riservas to be produced under the stern eye of Barolo’s great patriarch. Only the highest quality fruit is used for Conterno’s two famed Barolos: Cascina Francia and the legendary Monfortino Riserva. Crafted exclusively in the very best vintages, the latter is an ethereal wine boasting superior structure. The difference between the two wines is not in the vineyard but in the vinification. The Monfortino will undergo a longer maceration period with no effort to control the high temperatures (a risk worth taking based on his results); the Cascina Francia undergoes a shorter maceration period at a controlled temperature.

Giacomo Conterno 1997 Barolo Monfortino $259.00
94 Points (Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate)
This Tre Bicchieri winner is a rich ruby in the glass. Delightful ripe cherries and plums swirl out of the glass with chocolate, licorice, and just a hint of mushrooms. The same toothsome fruit is underscored by classic Barolo flavors of dried roses, tar, and minerals. Smooth tannins carry onto a long finish to round off this rich, dense, elegant wine. Approachable now, but worth the wait.

GIANFRANCO SOLDERA BRUNELLO:
Simply put, Gianfranco Soldera is Brunello’s Master! His tiny Case Basse estate is a cult favorite for its powerful, rustic, and long-ageing Brunellos. His zealous winemaking techniques produce exceptional wines even in the poorest of vintages. The vineyards are small, permitting manual cultivation and a short grape harvest. The vines are pruned short in the winter, with another green pruning during the growing season. Grape-thinning and limited leaf-stripping in the autumn provide more light for the grape clusters and excellent ripening. In the cellar his practice resembles that of the great traditionalist Bruno Giacosa: he still ages his wine in large oak barrels from Slavonia. Combine his limited production with a devoted following of worshippers and this wine will be the most sought-after Brunello from this historic vintage.

Soldera 1997 Brunello Riserva ‘Case Basse’ $299.00
95+ Points (Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar)
A whole different view of Brunello: more than four years of ageing before bottling generated impeccable balance. The color is a deep garnet with brilliant highlights. An exotic nose of red fruit, sweet spice, minerals, and deep citrus are ever evolving and explode on the palate. Full-bodied, superb concentration with layers of sateen elegance that linger in the mouth. Each taste shows more personality and discovery.

Click here for more on Barolo!

Gaja's Take on 1997

(GAJA) SANTA RESTITUTA BRUNELLO:
In 1994 Gaja acquired its first wine estate in Toscana, Pieve Santa Restituta in Montalcino. The property's forty acres of vineyards produce two Brunello di Montalcino wines called Sugarille and Rennina. The parish church, or “pieve,” of Santa Restituta stands on the property and gives the winery its name. The Sugarille vineyard was first recorded in the inventory of the Pieve compiled in 1547. It has kept its name for more than four centuries and is now also the name of the wine from this vineyard.

Santa Restituta 1997 Rennina $129.00 (750ml)
94 Points (Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar)
The name Rennina dates back to the 8th century and refers to the three non-contiguous vineyard sites that provide grapes for this Brunello. The wine displays a dark ruby color with rich hues of garnet. Intense aromas of licorice, black cherries, spice, and toast. Full-bodied, with firm tannins and a generous range of deep red fruit, smoky underbrush, and meatiness that all provide for an enticingly sweet aftertaste that lasts.

GAJA BAROLO:
The Sperss is one of two Baroli produced by Angelo, the second being the Conteisa (although it should be noted that they are both classified as Langhe Rosso). The name Sperss means “nostalgia” in Italian and refers to a particular vineyard site where the Gaja family purchased grapes until 1961. It was at this point that the family began producing wines exclusively from their own vineyards, and a series of changes began to unfold that would have a profound impact on Piemonte wines.

Gaja 1997 Sperss $149.00 (.375ml)
99 Points (Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate)
Crystalline ruby dissolving into saturated purple. Ripe, lush black fruit, truffles, earth, and streaks of tar. There is uncommon opulence in this dulcet yet full-bodied and tannic wine. The incredible complexity continues on an exceptional finish.

Click here for more Angelo Gaja!

1997 Sassetti & Valdicava Brunello

LIVIO SASSETTI (PERTIMALI) BRUNELLO:
The Sassetti family has been working the land for many generations, and winemaking has now been an important part of their production for a century. Livio Sassetti inherited this tradition but was displeased with the quality of fruit from the family vineyards, so in the early 1970’s he followed his ambition to Montalcino. Here he purchased land in Montosoli and established the Pertimali estate, named for a cottage on the property. His sons Lorenzo and Luciano now join him in the production of an elegant, complex line of wines that resemble the great libations of Burgundy yet are distinctively Tuscan.

Livio Sassetti 1997 Brunello di Montalcino Pertimali $129.00
This 96-point bottling (Robert Parker) was the first vintage to feature a redesigned label headlining Sassetti’s name rather than the title of the estate. Intense garnet color. Pungent underbrush cloaks blackberries, toasted vanilla, and sweet spices. A rich, full palate with more blackberries and dried sweet spices is supported by notable tannins and ends in a long finish.

VALDICAVA BRUNELLO:
Vincenzo Abbruzzese has taken this small Montalcino estate to cult like status with its big, powerful Brunellos favored by the likes of Tanzer and Parker. Valdicava is a blend of tradition and modern advancement. Barriques are used only for malolactic fermentation, the rest of the ageing taking place in 25- to 50-hectolitre botti of Slavonian and French oak. Vincenzo respects the efforts laid out by his grandfather, a sharecropper who purchased the land in the early ‘50’s. A third of a century later, and with ex-Antinori agronomist Andrea Paoletti constantly improving the fields, the focus is fine Italian wine.

Valdicava 1997 Brunello di Montalcino $94.00
96 Points (Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar)
Garnet color, with vivid, spicy aromas of smoke, leather, anise, and potpourri. Ripe dark fruit leads onto the palate as fresh tones glimmer in the background along with smooth tannins. A lush, rich, concentrated wine with effortless balance that lingers on the long finish.

Click here for more Brunello di Montalcino from IWM!

1997 Conterno & Bovio Barolo

PAOLO CONTERNO BAROLO:
Paolo Conterno founded this estate in the Monforte area of Barolo in 1886; today his grandson, also named Paolo, leads the way with a team that includes his wife, Caterina, and their two children, Marisa and Giorgio. With seven hectares planted to Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto in the celebrated Ginestra cru, the estate regularly presents elegant wines of great structure that have excellent ageing potential. Under the sage advice of Beppe Caviola, the family enthusiastically pursues relatively traditional methods that produce classic Baroli, yet they also introduce a kiss of French oak to most bottlings.

Paolo Conterno 1997 Barolo Ginestra $95.00
Traditional Barolo at its best: Garnet with ruby highlights. Distinct floral notes with berries and a toasty touch of coffee. Full on the palate with chewy tannins supporting more spicy berry fruit. A persistent finish concludes this excellently structured wine.

BOVIO BAROLO:
Gianfranco Bovio made a name for himself in the 1970’s when he took control of the restaurant Belvedere, which is now famous worldwide for its breathtaking view of La Morra and its outstanding cuisine. Just a few years later, in 1977, he was diving into a new project: he dedicated himself to rebuilding his father’s estate, which at that point comprised just three hectares of Nebbiolo and Dolcetto. He went on to purchase seven more hectares and enlisted the expertise of Walter Porasso, who still oversees every step of production with some aid from consultants Beppe Caviola and Federico Curtaz. Bovio’s project has been an unmistakable success, creating a wide range of wines that exemplify the terroir of La Morra.

Bovio 1997 Barolo Arborina $68.00
More dignified and temperate than Bovio’s other Baroli, the Arborina releases dark red fruit tinged with anise and gentle hints of tar. The elegant palate is lively with pronounced tannins. Like all of Bovio’s bottlings, this delightful wine is a quintessential expression of the vineyard where it was born.

Bovio 1997 Barolo Gattera $68.00
Bovio’s Barolo Gattera, which hails from a vineyard that is just over one hectare, is more austere and powerful than his others. Garnet with orange tones. Jammy purple fruit with floral overtones and musty underbrush. Minerals dance around anise on the complex palate, enveloped by prominent tannins.

Click for 2001 Barolo!

1997 Argiano & Campogiovanni

VILLA ARGIANO BRUNELLO:
From its historic past to the glorious present, Villa Argiano has always demanded attention. Founded in 1580 Villa Argiano was thought to be an ancient place where wise men searched out Ara Jani, the legendary altar of the Roman god Janus. Built during the Renaissance, this noble land was passed from nobility to the Cinzano family (the Vermouth king) and finally into the hands of Countess Noemi Marone Cinzano. She made dramatic changes in a quest for a Brunello with an appeal to the international style. Here she brought in Italy’s renowned enologist Giacomo Tachis (Sassicaia, Tignanello, Vigna d'Alceo), who developed the Super Tuscan Solengo, and Supervisor Sebastiano Rosa, nephew to Sassicaia’s Marchese Incisa delle Rocchetta – who spent six years at UC Davis as well as working at both Lafite Rothschild and Sassicaia. These forces combined with Mother Nature's blessing deliver wines of spellbinding proportions.

Argiano 1997 Brunello di Montalcino $69.95 (750ml)
96 Points (Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar)
Perhaps the greatest value of the vintage! Twelve months in second-use barriques followed by another full year in botti. Glistening ruby color tending towards garnet. Tellurian scents of tobacco and old leather are crowned by soft flowers and a tart drop of red fruit. The same triad reappears on the palate with a tannic backbone that slides easily into a long finish. Elegant and generous, this is a lovely example of Brunello.

Note: Not to be confused with Castello di Argiano Sesti.

CAMPOGIOVANNI (SAN FELICE) BRUNELLO:
The late Enzo Morganti, like the great Sergio Manetti of Montevertine, is a pure Sangiovesist and is responsible for much of the Sangiovese we drink today. After spending two decades experimenting with clones of Sangiovese at Tenuta di Lilliano this Toscana wine pioneer, took control of the famous Agricola San Felice Chianti Classico estate in 1967 and helped turn it into a national treasure that now includes a 750-hectare resort village, 180 hectares of vineyard, and a site dedicated to experimental viticulture and genetic improvement of Sangiovese, as well as overseeing the development of Campogiovanni - their critically acclaimed Montalcino estate which was acquired in the early ‘80’s. The perfection of Sangiovese continues here today in the capable hands of Leonardo Bellaccini, who keeps the Morganti spirit burning.

Campogiovanni (San Felice) 1997 Brunello $98.50
94 Points (Wine Spectator)
Deep garnet color with bright flecks of ruby. Plums dominate both nose and palate, spilling from a cornucopia of fruit, sweet spice, anise, and bitter chocolate. Full body and velvety tannins, with excellent balance and a very long finish.

Click here for more on Brunello!