Giacomo Conterno, Barolo Cascina Francia 1990

Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia 1990 is a benchmark bottle for traditional Barolo and one of the great expressions of Nebbiolo from Serralunga d’Alba. Sourced from the steep, southwest-facing Cascina Francia vineyard, this legendary wine captures the power, structure and longevity that have made Barolo a world icon. From the outstanding 1990 vintage, it offers a rare combination of mature complexity, classical austerity and extraordinary finesse.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 1990 Cascina Francia shows a deep garnet core with pronounced brick and terracotta hues at the rim, a textbook sign of beautifully evolved Nebbiolo. The nose is intensely complex and layered: mature dark and sour cherries, dried red berries, rose petals and violets unfold alongside dried herbs, balsamic tones, tar, tobacco leaf and a distinct mineral edge. On the palate, this is full-bodied yet remarkably poised, with a silk-like texture that only decades of careful aging can deliver. The tannins are perfectly integrated but still present, giving shape and grip without harshness, supported by a vibrant, mouthwatering acidity that keeps the wine lifted and fresh. Flavors of macerated cherry, dried plum, forest floor, leather, spice and savory umami notes flow into a very long, resonant finish where fruit, spice and tertiary nuances merge in complete harmony. Fully mature but still energetic, it is drinking beautifully now, with the structure to hold and evolve further for those who appreciate the character of old Barolo.

Production
Cascina Francia lies in Serralunga d’Alba, one of Barolo’s most revered communes, on steep, southwest-facing slopes with limestone-rich clay soils that naturally yield wines of depth, power and ageworthiness. Nebbiolo is traditionally grown and harvested by hand, with strict selection in the vineyard to ensure only perfectly ripe bunches are used. In 1990, after an exceptionally warm and stable growing season, the grapes were vinified according to the Conterno family’s classic methods: a long maceration of roughly 3–4 weeks in large, open wooden vats with native yeasts and no shortcuts, followed by around 48 months of aging in large, neutral Slavonian oak casks before extended bottle maturation in the cellar. This uncompromising, low-intervention approach is designed to express vineyard and vintage as transparently as possible.

Food & Serving
This mature Barolo is a superb match for richly flavored, savory dishes such as braised beef or veal (brasato al Barolo), slow-cooked lamb, game birds, or aged hard cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano and mature pecorino. It also shines alongside truffle-based dishes, mushroom risotto and roasted root vegetables, where its complexity and tertiary notes can really unfold. Serve at around 18 °C, and allow 3–4 hours in a decanter for the wine to fully open and reveal its aromatic depth. Handle the bottle gently and consider decanting off any sediment that may have developed during its decades of cellar aging.

Producer
Giacomo Conterno is one of the most revered traditional producers in Barolo, a name synonymous with uncompromising quality and ageworthy, classic Nebbiolo. Founded in the early 20th century, the estate built its reputation on long-lived Barolo made in a steadfastly traditional style, becoming a reference point for collectors and purists around the world. The acquisition and development of the Cascina Francia vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba further cemented Conterno’s status, giving the domaine a singular, grand cru–level site from which to craft some of the region’s most enduring wines. Today, bottles like the 1990 Cascina Francia stand as milestones in Piedmontese wine history and as benchmarks for what traditionally made Barolo can achieve with time.

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