Ratings & Tasting Notes:

100 points — Jeb Dunnuck, May 2025
Tasted three times before bottling at the estate. A highly structured expression of the cuvée that nonetheless shows remarkable finesse and nimbleness in the glass. Leather, smoky earth, cherry and floral cologne emerge with clarity and depth, over a tightly woven, precise palate with firm but balanced tannins, vibrant acidity and a long, resonant finish. Already showing beautifully — “this is truly as good as it gets.” Roberto Conterno likened it to the 2013, but with more elegance even now, which he attributes to the inclusion of Arione in the blend.

100 points — Wine Advocate, January 2025
The last vintage of this legendary wine was 2015. Skipping forward to a year of natural richness and concentration, the 2019 is a magnificently executed wine that carefully reins in the soaring power of Nebbiolo and whittles it down to extreme finesse and precision. The essence of the grape with no extra bells or whistles.

99 points — Vinous, January 2025
Closed down considerably since the previous tasting, and a very serious Monfortino that includes the entirety of Conterno’s production from both Francia and Arione. The tannins are imposing today, though modern Monfortinos have shown an ability to assimilate their tannin with far less bottle time than was once required.

98 points — Decanter, February 2023
Tasted as a barrel preview. Restrained, polite and elegant, with sweet violet aromas over earthy balsamic minerality, watermelon, subtle cinnamon candy and aromatic herbs, plus yellow citrus in depth and a hint of chocolate. The attack is firm, crisp and thick, with sweet, super-ripe tannins. The signature of this Barolo remains the elegance of the tannins combined with layered complexity.

98 points — James Suckling

Cult Wines International Notes:

Giacomo Conterno is the traditionalist standard against which all Barolo is measured. The house was founded in Monforte d’Alba, and Monfortino is its summit: a Riserva made only in years the family judges worthy, held back from release for the better part of a decade while the rest of the vintage goes to market. Roberto Conterno, the fourth generation, has run the estate since 2004 and applies the selection with famous severity. The winemaking has scarcely changed in a century. Fermentation runs about four weeks in wooden vats with the cap broken up by hand and no temperature control whatsoever, then a minimum of seven years in large Slavonian cask before bottling. No new oak, no shortcuts, nothing to soften what the vineyard gave.

The 2019 ended a three-year silence. No Monfortino was made in 2016, 2017 or 2018 — Roberto rejected each in turn — so this is the first since 2015, and it is unusual in its composition: with no separate Francia bottling produced, the entirety of the estate’s fruit from both Francia and Arione went into this wine. Bottled in October 2025 after 84 months in cask, it is a Barolo of formidable structure carrying remarkable finesse. Expect leather, smoky earth, wild cherry, redcurrant, rose petal, dried herbs, blood orange and fine tobacco, with tightly woven tannins, vibrant acidity and a long, resonant finish. This is a wine to cellar rather than open, with decades of evolution in front of it.

Bottle Size:

750 mL

Storage History:

Always stored on its side in a climate-controlled cellar.

Condition:

Outstanding condition.

Please note: The condition of the bottle you will receive is accurately reflected by the one shown in the images.

Current release, received and held in temperature-controlled storage.