What Happens without Monfortino?
2007 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia
Special Pre-Arrival Pricing - Lowest in the Nation
Roberto Conterno is one of the world's great winemakers.
And his epic Barolos are wines that transcend their category. Yes, they are among the greatest Barolos on the planet, but they are also among the greatest red wines on the planet.
The Cascina Francia is a monumental Barolo, and if that adjective is overused in the wine world (and it is), still, it's the perfect word for Conterno's Barolo. The Cascina Francia is built like a Mack truck - this is one of Serralunga's top sites, a commune renowned for the density, texture and heft of its wines. And if the Cascina Francia is impenetrable in its youth, it is built to age decade upon decade.
With proper cellaring, this monster wine becomes as delicate, as intricate, as perfumed and layered and beautiful as a flower. Galloni aptly calls them "radiant."
Today we're happy to offer out the newest release, the 2007 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia, at the lowest price in the nation.
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This is one of those wines that goes into my cellar every year, without question. The class, the depth, the consistency, year after year puts it in a category along with Mascarello's Monprivato and Giacosa's Falletto.
It's worth noting that in 2007 Roberto made no Monfortino, meaning the juice that would have gone into that elite cuvée is now in this "regular" 07 Cascina Francia, inevitably boosting its concentration, its aromatics, its class (as well as redefining the word "regular").
The 2007 vintage in the Piedmont started early, due to a warm and dry winter and spring. July was hot and was bookended by rain in both June and August. The results are defined by wines that combine the aromatics of a cool year (perfectly in tune with the style of Conterno) with softer tannins and the suppler texture of a warm vintage.
Though it's obviously impossible to get into the winemaker's head, and so much of this process is guided by instincts beyond words, but after earmarking a certain portion of grapes from the Cascina Francia vineyard to be used in the Monfortino cuvée, he decided, after the malos, to combine the Monfortino juice with the regular Cascina Francia. Likely this has something to do with the suppleness of the vintage... though rest assured that anything that comes from Roberto is not meant for immediate drinking!
The 2007, as seductive as it might be, is young - a minimum of five years is advised before opening. Still, in the pantheon of Cascina Francias, this edition will have the benefit of approachability at an earlier age than many of the more structured vintages. As much as we look to the house's Barbera and Langhe Nebbiolos for earlier drinking pleasure, this will be a wine to open a bit sooner.
We've just received our allocation and are offering this wine at special pre-arrival pricing - please note that this pricing will end Friday or when we sell out, whichever comes first. For collectors and Piedmont fanatics, this is a cornerstone Barolo. For those of you new to the game, as long as patience is one of your virtues, this wine comes strongly recommended.
To place your order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Robert Schagrin
Managing Partner
Crush Wine & Spirits
Special Email Bottle Price: $114.95
Lowest Price in the Nation
Special Email 3-Pack Price: $329.85 ($109.95/btl)
NET | No further discount
Wine is pre-arrival - expected Fall 2011
While we guarantee the delivery of pre-arrival wines, many of the factors in the delivery are beyond our control. We do the best we can to estimate the expected arrival times of your wine, but we cannot guarantee any specific arrival dates. Please keep in mind, delays can arise unexpectedly and we are occasionally given inaccurate and/or incomplete information by our shipping agent. If at any time you feel you need to cancel your pre-arrival order, you may do so. We will refund you the original purchase price less a 10% cancellation fee.