Conterno Fantino Castelletto Vigna Pressenda Barolo Nebbiolo Italy Piedmont 2016

The Conterno Fantino 2016 Barolo Castelletto Vigna Pressenda (with 6,500 bottles produced) draws its fruit from a 1.2-hectare site in Monforte d'Alba with silty soils mixed with sand and clay. It opens to bright cherry and dried raspberry that set the tone for the abundant primary fruit that defines the bouquet. Those red berry flavors cede to cola, spice, mint and rosemary essence. There is an almost exotic quality here spurred forward by pressed blue flower and church incense. However, the big takeaway here is the sheer energy and resonance of this classic Barolo.