2011 Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala

Vinous Media (VM)

Conterno's 2011 Barolo Cicala is decidedly ripe and flashy in this vintage, with exotic overtones and unusually jammy fruit. Dry, austere tannins clamp down through the mid-palate and finish, a sign of the hail that was an issue here in 2011. Hints of kirsch, sweet red cherry and plum struggle to open up in the glass, but the tannins are a bit too much today. It will be interesting to see how the Cicala develops, but today, the class and pedigree of this site does not come through fully. – Antonio Galloni