Giacomo Conterno, Barolo Cascina Francia, 1996

A library bottle from arguably Barolo's most iconic traditional estate. Giacomo Conterno's Cascina Francia is a single 14-hectare Serralunga vineyard of clay-limestone soils, fermented with natural yeasts, macerated for weeks, and aged in large Slavonian botti before bottling in the fourth year. The 1996 is a classic, firmly structured, high-acid Barolo vintage built for the long haul, and at nearly three decades it has reached full maturity. This is mature Nebbiolo at its most profound, with the tertiary complexity only serious age delivers. Decant and savor.