2015 Barolo Avione

Introducing the 2015 Barolo Arione. This is the first vintage produced of the newest wine to join the extended and ever-evolving Conterno portfolio. Only three oak casks were produced: the one I tasted from to write this review, one that was auctioned off to charity and the third botte that ended up becoming part of the iconic Monfortino blend. That fruit from the recently acquired Arione vineyard would be deemed good enough to end up in Monfortino tells a lot about how confident Roberto Conterno is in this product. From a tasting point of view, this wine is characterized by richness and density, with a polished mineral note that never hides from view. The richness of the soils in this vineyard correspond to the density and structure of the wine. Most of the vineyard was planted in the 1960s with some replants throughout the 1980s and 1990s. If Francia is elegance, Arione is power.

Here in its first release, the 2015 Barolo Arione is a magnificent addition to the Conterno range. Power and gravitas distinguish the Arione from Conterno's Barolos from Cerretta and Francia. Wild cherry, graphite, smoke and leather are some of the many notes that are laced throughout this super-expressive, dense, structured wine. The 2015 is simply dazzling. I can't wait to taste it from bottle. Moreover, it is great to see that such an important and historic parcel ended up in the hands of a grower who knows how to exalt all of the signatures that make Arione such a compelling vineyard.