2018 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Arione

96 points Decanter. "With young soils and steep hills, the importance of Arione is easily understood. The southern exposure helped the quality in this vintage and the wine shows a restrained red currant fruit aroma with graceful cinnamon, sweet violet and watermelon, allied to an anise, almost herbal, whiff. Full, refreshing and very elegant yet not without a firm structure, it features an extracted chalky finish. It will age quite well for a 2018. (AF)"(1/2022)

94-96 points Wine Advocate. "Tasted from barrel, the 2018 Barolo Arione still has another year in botte and time in bottle before its commercial release. However, the wine shows a distinct personality that is immediately gentle and open-knit despite its very young age. With fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, there is ethereal softness here, but this characterization is relative considering the ample power and depth always associated with this site. It feels like this 2018 vintage is still warming up and is slowly putting on volume and weight. Its metamorphosis is far from complete. However, what you can read into the wine now is the quality of its fruit and its classic Nebbiolo aromas of wild berry, pressed violet, rust and blood orange. (ML)" (11/2021)

95 points Vinous. "The 2018 Barolo Arione is an imposing wine. It's presence alone is impossible to miss. Arione is a wine that demands attention. There is something wild and exotic - almost animalistic - about the Arione and the way it asserts itself. Time in the glass brings out scents of sage, menthol, white pepper and orange peel. A generous kick of Serralunga acidity and tannin punctuates the finish. It's still early days for Roberto Conterno's Barolo from Arione. I can't wait to see how this ages. (AG)" (10/2022)

95 points Wine Enthusiast. "Perfumed and suave, this red boasts cherry, strawberry, sandalwood, floral and mint aromas and flavors. This one is all about finesse and harmony, with its precision and balance providing a sense of seamlessness -- even at this youthful stage. The fruit, spice and savory elements linger on the aftertaste. Best from 2025 through 2043. 833 cases made. (BS)"

For 45 years until his death in 2004, Giovanni Conterno set the standard for traditional Barolo, producing wines defined by power, structure, and exceptional longevity, most famously Monfortino and Barolo Cascina Francia. Monfortino, first conceived by his father Giacomo Conterno after World War I as a Barolo built to age, became a reference point for Nebbiolo worldwide through long fermentations and extended aging. Giovanni cemented the estate’s identity in 1974 by purchasing the Cascina Francia vineyard in Serralunga d'Alba, ending the practice of buying grapes and focusing on estate fruit. His son Roberto Conterno has since expanded the domaine with top sites such as Cerretta and Arione, while quietly refining vineyard work and cellar precision. Despite selective use of modern equipment, Roberto has kept the core methods intact, maintaining long fermentations and extended élevage, and ensuring that Conterno wines remain firmly rooted in the traditions established by earlier generations.