The 1998 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is still young, especially from magnum, but it is a wine that I am enjoying more of late. It really needed a number of years, although it remains raw and not fully complete just yet. Burly, powerful and tannic, the 1998 reminds me a bit of the 1995 in that it is a Monfortino that still needs bottle age to be at its most expressive.

The 1998 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is a monumental effort. A deep dark red, it opens with a huge nose of licorice, roses and cocoa, then flows onto the palate with masses of sweet, concentrated dark fruit that go on forever. Notes of mineral and leather gradually develop in the glass, adding further complexity as this great wine begins to reveal its expansive and profound personality. The 1998 is unusually open right now. As was the case with the 1997 at this stage, it should offer a brief drinking window over the next 6 months or so before shutting down for what is likely to be an extended period prior to awakening in the glorious prime of its life. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2023. AG

Medium red. Musky, highly aromatic nose dominated by wild strawberry and raspberry fruit notes. Powerful, sappy flavors of raspberry and cherry; rich and sweet to the point of confectionery. Shows great depth of flavor; the fruit component is wild but not animal. Uncanny combination of power and finesse. Finishes with wonderfully sweet, tongue-coating tannins and great chewy persistence. Late suggestion of chalk dust.

For academic reasons I have included this review simply because I love these old style wines. Who can't admire a producer who won't even release this wine until 2006-2007? Since we will not see this wine for nearly a decade, I will keep my tasting notes brief. Tasted from a gigantic foudre (where the entire Monfortino cuvee is sitting), it is a ruby-colored wine with a forward, evolved style (typical of the 1998 vintage), and a sweet bouquet of rose water, tar, truffles, minerals, and cherry fruit. Full-bodied, but beautifully balanced, it is delicious enough to drink now, although that would be considered heresy in these cellars. Let's hope the style at this winery never changes as it produces the quintessential traditional Barolo (along with those of Bruno Giacosa and a handful of other Piedmontese producers). In a world where immediate gratification is often the holy grail, the reality is that most consumers will not wait ten years for the wine to be released, and another ten years for it to hit its peak of maturity. For the few that do, the rewards are immeasurable. The wines produced by Giovanni Conterno are monuments to Nebbiolo as well as to the glory of Piedmont. Importer: Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700