The 2019 Barolo Conteisa is stunning. A wine of grace, power and finesse, the 2019 is immediately captivating. Crushed flowers, cinnamon, red berry fruit and rose petal are all beautifully lifted, all wrapped by silky La Morra tannins that add to its finesse. Readers will find an exquisite Barolo endowed with tremendous class. The 2019 is just sublime.
The 2019 Barolo Conteisa is a noble wine, with angular and drying tannins, as well as more mineral expression. Notes of medicinal herbs, crushed stones, and pure cherry lead to a wine that is more restrained right now but will be fantastic. Through the palate, it has compact but wonderful concentration and a driving structure and is more herbaceous, savory, and mineral than fruity and floral. It is outstanding. Drink the 2020s while waiting for the 2019s.
A powerful and tannic wine with mushroom, forest flower, bark, and black tea aromas and flavors. Full and chewy. This is a young nebbiolo that needs time to soften. Better after 2029.
The Gaja 2019 Barolo Conteisa is a smooth operator with forest floor, dried fruit, autumn leaf and pickled plum from Japan with elements of both saltiness and sweetness. Conteisa goes for the high notes with floral tones, violet and something brittle like a laurel leaf. Its texture is very silky and tight. The wine persists with a smooth and long tenor.
La Morra. Cerequio. Aged for 18 months in French oak barriques and tonneaux, with a tiny percentage of new oak, followed by 18 months in large Slavonian oak casks.
Just mid ruby. Brooding and still quite subdued on the nose, with savoury, spicy, salty touches. Very elegant but tightly stitched palate. Fresh acidity that is almost a little racy and with bags of coating tannins that become more upfront on the finish and that need more time. Long and focused, but still backward.