Barolo 'Ginestra'

Score

93

"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."

Score

95

"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. An ample 16,000 bottles were produced."

Score

93

"The 2016 Barolo Ginestra shows all of the aromatic and flavor intrigue that is such a signature of this site. Pine, menthol, licorice, orange peel, mint and macerated red cherry all flesh out effortlessly. Mid-weight structure and a good bit of inner sweetness gives the 2016 a feeling of accessibility, until the firm Ginestra tannins kick in. Time in the glass brings out a nice kick of textural breadth. The 2016 is such a pretty wine. I would cellar it for a few years, though."

Score

94

"The dark-berry and fresh mushroom aromas are compelling in this wine. Full-bodied, tight and chewy with wonderful texture and tannins. Solid 2015. Drink from 2022."

Score

95

"The 2015 Barolo Ginestra shows real complexity and depth. It exudes a profound nature in general. Mineral tones lead the clean, fresh entry, followed by more savory notes. This is from Paolo Conterno's home vineyard cru, with vines planted right up to the edges of the winery and the family house. This Barolo is nuanced and multifaceted, and it will stand up to a couple of decades in the cellar."

Score

95

"The 2015 Barolo Ginestra opens with scents of raspberry, orange peel, star anise and cinnamon. Powerful and wiry, the 2015 expresses the essence of Ginestra, with that combination of aromatic intensity and nervous energy that is such a signature. I would cellar it for a few years, as the tannins are a bit edgy at this stage. Alternatively, a few hours of air will to the trick."

Score

93

"Aromas of dried flowers, berries and sandalwood follow through to a full body, firm and silky tannins and a fresh and clean finish. Better in 2019 but delicious already."

Score

95

"The 2013 Barolo Ginestra shows grace and purity, with significant power at the back that is partially fueled by the wine's well-integrated alcohol (recorded at 15%). The wine's texture is compact, and the flavor knitting is tight and carefully detailed. These qualities bode very well for the future evolution of this vintage that will undoubtedly soften and flesh out with more time in the bottle."

Score

91

"Black cherry, mocha, plum, licorice and smoke make a strong opening statement in the 2013 Barolo Ginestra. Bold and explosive in the glass, the 2013 offers plenty of depth and power but is also marked by oak, and starting to show signs of faint oxidation. It will drink well for at least a handful of years, but does not look like a long term keeper."