Barolo Riserva Ginestra, Paolo Conterno 2013

This has a very youthful feel, offering rich, nutty red fruit and hints of very mild, creamy spice and chocolate that expand with air. The promise of truffle creeps in, too. The full palate starts silky, but there’s still plenty of tannin kick driving the super clean and mature red fruit through the finish. The final offering is a long, endearing aftertaste of jaffa cakes! Delicious now, but this is just getting going and will only improve with bottle age. Always a good bet. Best from 2023.

The headline wine from Paolo Conterno is the beautifully packaged 2013 Barolo Ginestra Riserva. I always appreciate the house style of this winery located in the heart of the Ginestra cru at the back side of Monforte d'Alba and looking toward Serralunga d'Alba. These wines always show an extra degree of richness and dark fruit. The delivery is broad and rich instead of vertical and sharp, and the wine wraps evenly over the palate. This expression from the cool 2013 vintage shows good structure, freshness, integrated tannins and a long succession of dark fruits. This was a release of some 4,000 bottles.

The 2013 Barolo Riserva Ginestra is wonderfully expressive. Sweet red cherry, cedar, menthol, licorice, mint, sweet pipe tobacco and scorched earth fill out the layers as this strapping, virile Barolo shows off its personality. I would give the 2013 at least a few years in bottle, but opening it well in advance will do the trick.