WTN: G. Conterno Barbera Cascina Francia 2006

Giacomo Conterno Barbera d'Alba Cascina Francia 2006 14,5%; 44,70€ (ouch!) in the special selection of Alko

Dark. The scent is rather closed even after a few hours open, and it smells surprisingly dark and inky for G. Conterno! On some sniffs I even thought I caught a glimpse of vanillary oak, but that must have been my imagination since it sees only big botti. Anyway, the scent is awkward, but the palate is magnificent. From the inky scent I was afraid I would taste something atypical for G. Conterno, but gladly it was a bright, focused, crunchy and lively wine though it is big for a GC Barbera. Very moreish. This bottle was obviously in an awkward stage: a shame about the scent, but gladly the palate made up for that.

Though it shows promise I am worried about another note by someone I trust who also was a bit disappointed with this compared to earlier years. Is it just the warm year, or is G. Conterno's Barbera also going to the more powerful, inky route generally in recent years?

Giacomo Conterno Barbera d'Alba Cascina Francia 2006 14,5%; 44,70€ (ouch!) in the special selection of Alko

...On some sniffs I even thought I caught a glimpse of vanillary oak, but that must have been my imagination since it sees only big botti. Anyway, the scent is awkward, but the palate is magnificent.

Well, it was just bottled, so will need some time to shed any time in oak, botti or no botti.
And with Giovanni's death in 2004, his son Roberto may have implemented some slight changes?

I had the 2005 Cascina Francia Barbera in Piedmont last Fall and it was stunning. When I got back home, I ordered 3 bottles of the 2006 and opened one in March. There was nothing reminiscent of the '05 and I was terribly disappointed. The fruit was ripe, bordering on jammy, with some smokiness and I am hopeful that the fine acidity will help balance the wine in the near future. Although, it might sound as if I didn't like the wine, it is just the I so much preferred the '05. I will let the '06 rest a little longer.

I did have a 2006 recently that I really liked. It was a Giuseppe Mascarello Barbera Falletto di Serralunga. I wish I knew how to copy my tasting notes from Cellartracker, but suffice it to say that it displayed the earthy elements and played down the fruit that I prefer.

Well, it was just bottled, so will need some time to shed any time in oak, botti or no botti.
And with Giovanni's death in 2004, his son Roberto may have implemented some slight changes?

If Conterno always wanted neutral wood, doesn't that mean that whatever size the cask is, the scent of new oak shouldn't peek out? I don't remember hearing of changes since '04 (though, of course, they may well have happened when I wasn't paying attention), only in 2001 when they decided to keep the wine longer in the big casks than previously. But the '01-'05 all seemed fine to me. Considering how this has been to my taste previously, that I was not on my best the evening I tried this, or the bottle wasn't a great one, or whatever. Though I am worried that Diane also had a less than great experience. Perhaps two isolated less than great experiences carry less significance than the years of greatness.

Thanks for the note, Otto. I've got a bottle of the '97 that I'm going to try soon; this was a very good wine when young and I've been curious to see what bottle age would do for a traditionally made Barbera.