Paolo Conterno - Barolo DOCG - Monforte d'Alba - Cru Ginestra - 2016

Excellent 95/100 points Cru Ginestra Barolo - five star vintage 2016

Clear garnet red wine with aromas of herbs, camomile, catmint, strawberry jelly, cherries, and light notes of balsamic. In the mouth the wine is caressing, slightly mineral, beautiful complexity, silky tannins in the very long lasting aftertaste.

The vineyard is located in the Ginestra Cru at an altitude of between 300 and 350 meters, with a southern exposure. The slope is 30 to 35%. The soil type is mainly clay with limestone. The vineyard was planted in the early nineties of the last century. The planting density is 4,000 vines per hectare.

The grapes are picked by hand in October, after careful selection. The harvest takes place in several rounds, so that only the optimally ripe grapes are picked. Immediately after the harvest, the grapes are crushed and destemmed, followed by fermentation for a period of 18-25 days in special barrels. The wine is matured in a traditional way in large French oak barrels of 35 HL for a period of 36 months. After this, the wine is bottled and further refined for a period of at least 6 months in the bottle in the cellars of the domain.

About Paolo Conterno:
In 1886, Paolo Conterno started his winery in the historic Ginestra Cru. Today, the company is managed by Giorgio Conterno, the fourth generation. In total, the company now has 10 hectares of vineyards in Barolo. The company later also bought a winery in Tuscany.

95/100 points Robert Parker

The Paolo Conterno 2016 Barolo Ginestra is the wine that best represents the personality and work of its creator, winemaker and proprietor Giorgio Conterno. Fruit is selected from the part of the Ginestra cru that is planted to 40-year-old vines of Nebbiolo. It is fermented in stainless steel and ages in botte grande for 36 months. You taste concentrated fruit, with sweet flavors of blackberry and dried cherry. Delicate aromas of grilled herb, licorice and camphor ash slowly come into view. The wine closes with elegant but softly yielding tannins.

93/100 points James Suckling

Beautiful and balanced red with dried-strawberry, cedar and floral aromas and flavors that follow to a medium body, integrated tannins and a fresh and bright finish. Drink after 2021.