In pursuit of Barolo perfection

NO one seriously interested in fine wine would be unfamiliar with the names Giacomo Conterno and Barolo Riserva Montfortino, the legendary and almost mythical Barolo made by Giovanni Conterno and now by his son Roberto Conterno in the little wine village of Montforte d'Alba. It goes without saying that for Barolo enthusiasts, Barolo Riserva Montfortino would carry the same weight and importance as Petrus to Bordeaux-lovers and Romanee-Conti to Burgundy enthusiasts.

When one is studying something totally new, one looks for landmarks and reference points, so as to better evaluate what one is encountering for the first time. Just as Lafite and Latour serve as reasonably authenticated reference points for Bordeaux, so I learnt that Barolo Monfortino Riserva would serve similarly for Barolo.

All this led to my standing on the top of the slope of the hill of Serralunga one ice-cold day in January 1985 (after visiting Bordeaux) with my friend Pio Boffa of the Piedmont family wine company Pio Cesare, looking down at the most famous vineyard in Barolo, Giacomo Conterno's wholly owned Cascina Francia.