Epic 2010 Bussia Barolo and a 2008 That's Drinking Even Better (both Allocated)

Everyone has been asking for a 2010 Barolo and as they say, your wish is my demand. So why am I starting the E-Mail with the Franco Conterno 2008 Barolo Riserva Sette Anni ($59.99 each on 3)? Because it's drinking incredibly well now and it's a selection of the best grapes from Bussia, Pugnane and Panerole. The nose is classic Barolo: cut flowers, violets along with some sweet fruit. The palate is pure Piedmontese power.  Big dark fruit flavors with structure like Fort Knox. The fruit is big, but the wine is incredibly well balanced.  It's one of those wines when you drink it, it reminds you of the famous Mel Brooks line, "it's good to be the King." This has the tannic structure to age for decades but it is drinking well now. This is a wine that can go toe to toe with the most powerfully flavored foods. It is called Sette Anni (7 years) because it was aged in large (2,500 liter) barrels for 7 years. Another 12 months in bottle. I call it polished traditional; the wine tastes like a properly aged Barolo that is ready to drink now (after a mere 8 years). 2008 was certainly a very good vintage. But you know what? If you are hand selecting the best grapes from your best vineyards to make your showcase wine, you are going to get incredible grapes. So please don't sleep on this one.

OK, the next wine is the one you have been waiting for, the Franco Conterno 2010 Barolo Riserva Bussia for $44.99 each on 4.  Compare at $59.98. Obviously, there is not much left and I had to move this offer up to make sure to secure it.  Bussia is, of course, one of the best known of the Cru in Barolo.  This wine is definitely more classic and restrained than the Sette Anni.  Great, great, great nuanced, perfumed nose.  Dried flowers, a hint of cherry, spice.  Really a nose you fall in lo ve with.  The palate is perfectly classic, balanced and aromatic with lovely pure fruit.  Solid medium bodied fruit but integrated with lovely spice.  Great structure to age for decades.  The finish has some sweet wood and a hint of aromatics at this point in its relative youth.  Definitely a 4-1-3 wine (you can drink a bottle now and it's great but the other 3 will improve over the next 5 years).  Of course, many of you will buy a case given the ridiculously fantastic 2010 vintage.  The wine was aged for 4 years in 1,500-2,500 liter oak barrels plus another6 months in bottle.  This is almost gone so please order now.

Franco Conterno is really more of a Fass Selections French producer who happens to live in Italy.  He works the vineyards.  He makes the wine himself.  He is very humble.  When he pours the wine, he tells you the bottling and the year and stands back and let's you taste.  There's not much sales and marketing.  His wine sell out but if he were more of a maven, they would have been snapped up on release (for 50% more money).  They're not only great wines but he ages them long enough so that you can taste how good they are now even though you know they will be better in a few years.  The vast majority of non modern Baroli tasted were almost undrinkable on release, even for an expert, so there's always a risk that those wines won't turn out to be what you expect.  Not these.  They are ready for business and will only get better.

2008 Franco Conterno Barolo "Riserva Sette Ani" - $61.99 

($185.97 3-pack) 

2010 Franco Conterno Barolo "Bussia" - $49.99 ($179.96 4-pack)