and more:
• Giacomo Conterno Vertical at Babbo
• Cascina Francia & Monfortino from IWM

A Note from Sergio

Enthusiasts and collectors often divide themselves into camps: the diehard Mascarello fans, the Biondi-Santi obsessives, those who worship at the altar of Valentini. People who understand the inherent quality in a Giacosa Barbaresco may not quite be able to comprehend the ’01 Masseto. Others adore Masseto, but they’re puzzled by Gravner. All of these estates produce the highest quality wines in Italy. But pour a bottle from any one of them for a group of ten wine lovers and it’s likely that only five will be able to recognize its caliber. That’s because few people are able to appreciate quality when it doesn’t jibe with their sensibility.

Romano dal Forno is one of those rare winemakers who makes unarguably, obviously fine wine, no matter what your taste. You can give a glass of Dal Forno Amarone to a beer drinker who’s never tasted wine in his life and a connoisseur who’s tasted nearly every wine in the world. They’ll both have the same immediate reaction: Dal Forno Amarone is an incredibly high quality drink. Even a follower of Giuseppe Quintarelli—the other great Amarone-maker of our time, who crafts rustic, traditional wines that are the opposite of Dal Forno’s modern reds—has to admit that Dal Forno makes a fantastic wine. It’s like music: You don’t need to be an opera fan to know that Pavarotti has an extraordinary voice; you only need to hear him for a second.

Dal Forno’s Amarone is a unique product. All of the elements of the wine—its depth, breeding, character, acidity, richness—hit your senses at the exact right moment. For this reason, it consistently garners rave reviews and shows up at tastings around the world.

Of course, Dal Forno is a rare and expensive wine, and there’s no reason to drink it often. But there is a reason to drink it once a year—or even once in a lifetime. Because once you’ve experienced a wine as singular as Dal Forno—the only wine in its category—you’ll have a fuller, broader understanding of all wines.

My best,
Sergio Esposito

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Dal Forno's Hedonistic Wines

Romano Dal Forno is considered the “Grape King” of the Veneto and is widely recognized as one of just two producers—along with Giuseppe Quintarelli—who have truly mastered the difficult passito wine named Amarone. But unlike Quintarelli, who crafts rustic, traditional wines, Dal Forno creates modern, hedonistic drinks that have single-handedly elevated the stature of quality Amarone.

Though the Dal Forno name has long been associated with wine production, the family never owned a vineyard of their own until Romano founded his now legendary estate in the early eighties. It was here in La Val d’Illasi, which had been perceived to produce inferior grapes to the neighboring Classico zone, that Romano released his first wine to market. For the next seven years he produced hand-crafted wines with rudimentary equipment, farming fruit from just 12 hectares of land.

However, in 1990, we became acquainted with a new breed of wines from Romano Dal Forno. After overhauling production techniques and completely renovating his winery, the constant innovator turned in his traditional Slovenian oak casks for new French oak barriques. He then went on to challenge the boundaries of Valpolicella by planting the Oseleta vine and adding its fruit to his Amarone in place of Molinara grapes (one of the three traditional grapes of the wine). Over the next decade he expanded his vineyards through the assistance of his son-in-law and cousin, as well as increasing both the drying process of his grapes and the ageing requirements of his wines. The experimentation has paid its dividends and continues today with recent adjustments to the ripasso method associated with his Valpolicella.

Valpolicella
The classic Veneto trio of Corvinone (60%), Rondinella (30%), and Croatina (10%). The grapes are fermented at controlled temperatures in stainless steel vats, and the wine is then aged in new barriques for about two years and in the bottle for one. Dal Forno even gives his Valpolicella a 10-20% dose of Amarone to provide extra richness and concentration. As a result this complex yet approachable wine is a solid introduction to the wines of Dal Forno.
Dal Forno 2001 Valpolicella $89.00
Dal Forno 2000 Valpolicella $97.50

Amarone della Valpolicella
A blend of Corvinone (60%), Rondinella (20%), Croatina (10%), and Oselata (10%) made in the appassimento style—the grapes are spread on straw mats for three months to drain them of their water and concentrate their sugar, crushed and fermented in a stainless steel vat for six days during which the cap is submerged with rigorous frequency, and aged in new French oak barriques for two years then in the bottle for 12 months more. This rich, expansive wine is one of the best of its kind.
Dal Forno 2000 Amarone della Valpolicella $329.00
Dal Forno 1999 Amarone della Valpolicella $389.00

Nettare
This limited-production blend incorporates the talents of Garganega (80%, best known for its dominant role in Soave), Trebbiano (12%), and Turbiana (8%). Partial fermentation at naturally-occurring temperatures is followed by 30 to 40 months in barriques. The resulting passito wine is an intense, amber-colored tipple.
Dal Forno 1995 Nettare $119.95 (375ml)

Click for IWM's map and guide to Brunello di Montalcino

Another Worthy Riserva for the Cellar

Last week, IWM featured what may be one of the finest Brunello Riservas. The wines of Il Poggione demonstrate a denser, classic style of Brunello supported by elegance and finesse. The weightier fruit is a characteristic of the central southern slopes of Sant’Angelo in the Colle region of Montalcino. Here the vines are mastered by Fabrizio Bindocci, the protégé of Pierluigi Talenti, for a truly exceptional Brunello experience. At the other end of the DOC zone, Montosoli is grouped with Canalicchio and Pianelli in the northern territory, where the high elevation of the central region begins to taper. These northern subzones have a moderated share in the warm, dry Mediterranean climate and high altitude of their neighbors to the south, and the slight differences in temperature, humidity, soil, and elevation breed wines of both ripeness and structure. The minimized exposure to cooling winds also contributes to the ripeness of wines from this area. This is epitomized by the wines of Livio Sassetti "Pertimali," which typically combine serious aromas and elegance with structure and fruit – a little less power but more rugged than the Il Poggione 1999 Riserva.

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 1970s he followed his ambition and purchased hilltop land in Montosoli where he 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.

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
As with the Il Poggione 1999, this Riserva truly shows superior characteristics that justify its higher classification. Too many producers in the region are aging their Brunello in order to use this title where it is not deserved. We stand by this exceptional Riserva that will continue to age well into the next decade.
Sassetti 1999 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva $98.76

Click for more Brunello from IWM

Giacomo Conterno Vertical at Babbo

Giacomo Conterno Vertical
with Special Guest, Proprietor Roberto Conterno
Monday, March 20, 2006

Vintage Babbo wine dinners with IWM continues with a truly special event featuring one of Barolo's greats. In the hills of Monforte, another Conterno (this one named Roberto) is anxious to be with us in New York City for an evening that features the legendary Barolos of the Giacomo Conterno estate; Cascina Francia and Montfortino. Once again we'll "go deep" in great vintages to showcase one of Italy's (and the world's) longest- maturing red wines. Roberto will be on hand to answer questions and share a glass or two with us.

HOW TO RESERVE
Contact Iman Dean at 917.715.3599 and specify which tasting you would like to attend. If you have questions, contact David Lynch at 212-614-8495 x110.

Click to learn more about Babbo and the Vintage Babbo series

Cascina Francia & Monfortino from IWM

With the upcoming special event, IWM is bringing back the wines of this legendary estate. Cantina Conterno began in 1908 when Grandfather Giovanni Conterno started making wines. While not technically labeled Monfortino at the time, the now legendary riserva was born in 1915 when Giovanni placed emphasis on premium quality Barolo made only in great vintages with long fermentation and aging periods to create the best aging potential. This philosophy was inherited and taken to astronomical heights by his son Giacomo. The Conternos managed to stay afloat and even prosper over the years thanks to the Italian tradition of giving Barolo as a prestigious Christmas gift (the practice was quelled when Champagne became an international symbol for celebration): like just a few other producers, they had substantial orders from the likes of Fiat and Pirelli to feed their success. When his own work was done and the family operation had reached great heights, in the early sixties, Giacomo decided to pass the winery to his sons, Giovanni and Aldo. The credo they were taught: “Only premium quality can bring prestige to the Langhe.”

Until recently, this famed estate was run by Giacomo’s eldest son, Giovanni Conterno. With Giovanni’s recent passing, his son Roberto continues the traditional winemaking of the Langhe that has always been practiced here, resulting in the earthy kinds of wines with notes of roses and tar that made Barolo what it is.

Fanatics of quality known for their long-lived wines, this estate recently narrowed its focus strictly to Nebbiolo and Barbera. Only the highest quality grapes from Cascina Francia in Serralunga d’Alba are used for their two famed Barolos: the ‘Cascina Francia’ and the legendary Riserva ‘Monfortino.’ The densely planted Francia vineyard has southwest exposure and is about 400 meters above sea level. Grapes gathered here offer deep tannins, creating ideal cellaring wines.

Barolo ‘Cascina Francia’
The difference between the two wines is not in the vineyard but in the vinification. The Monfortino will undergo a longer maceration period - five weeks on the grape skins 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 2001 Cascina Francia $199.00 (1.5L)
Giacomo Conterno 2000 Cascina Francia $249.00 (1.5L)

Barolo Riserva ‘Monfortino’
The cream of Giacomo’s crop is the Barolo Riserva ‘Monfortino,’ crafted only in the very best vintages and aged the longest, lending superior structure to this ethereal wine. At its best, no other can match this highly sought wine.
Giacomo Conterno 1998 Monfortino Riserva $299.00
Giacomo Conterno 1998 Monfortino Riserva $498.00 (1.5L)

Click for another great Barolo traditionalist