Interesting comment. I asked a respected local retailer what he thought of 2016 Nervi Conterno Gattinara. He said it was like all Conterno wines - big, ripe fruit.
So I bought the 1998 (and the 1995) Conterno from K&L in 2004 and my recollection was that an importer change was “improving” the prices of the inventory of the existing importer. I opened a bottle recently - and the cork said “Pira” unlike the cork in the 95, which said Conterno. I notified K&L and after verifying that their record of the sale to me indicated the wine had been acquired from Conterno’s (then) authorized importer, they reached out to the domaine to make inquiries. I was told they were told by the domaine that in that year, the cork manufacturer sent them an assortment of branded corks and they just decided to use them. Have any of you pulled corks from 98s that said something other than “conterno”?
Yeah, I haven’t tried more than a few over the last 5-6 years, but that has been my impression. The '19 Nervi Rose is really good, though and I’m anxious to try the '20 when it arrives.
Ooops–total brain spasm. It was Binnys in Chicago, not Zachys. Don’t have the invoices anymore, but I’m remembering perhaps the high 30’s? Some other years were available, but nothing great. I bought a few bottles of the 93 and 95 as well.
I have not had any odd corks. However, that explanation seems to stink like a rancid fish. Why would the cork manufacturer (a reputable one, supposedly) send an assortment of branded corks to a high end customer with a specific order? The names should be trademarked. Why would Pira (there are several) want their corks floating about in other bottles? And given that Conterno has a long established name and quality reputation, why would they take such a half-ass shortcut by using another wineries’ corks thereby throwing the legitimacy of the bottle into question? This could all be true, but it seems ridiculous.
How was the wine? Did it seem like a Conterno?