2018 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia

Serralunga d’Alba. Youthful mid ruby. A wine that challenges you from the minute it’s in the glass. First, peppery and minerally, and then changes into savoury raspberry coulis with hints of cherry. Great perfume development. Spectacular balance between ripe acidity and fine tannins that are integrated into the fruit like a fine mesh. Gorgeous length. Hedonistic as well as cerebral. (WS)

The 2018 Barolo Francia is powerful, deep and also a touch austere. It shows the edginess of all the 2018s, but also has a feeling of textural creaminess that adds tons of character. Spice, menthol, leather and a whole range of balsamic overtones build into the deep, imposing finish. Roberto Conterno decided to forego his Barolo Monfortino in 2018, opting instead to blend all the casks into his Francia bottling. When that happens, Francia often surprises down the road. That could very well turn out to be the case here.

The 2018 Barolo Francia impresses with its complexity and multi-dimensional personality. The bouquet alone is mesmerizing. Rose petal, blood orange, cinnamon and dried herbs lend notable aromatic presence. There's plenty of breadth, power and resonance, all in the nervy style of the year. In 2018, Conterno will not make a Monfortino, so all of that wine is already blended into the Francia. Needless to say, this will be a fascinating Barolo to follow.