Aldo Conterno Quartetto Langhe Rosso -- this blend of Nebbiolo, Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot reveals a very dark-purple, inky wine, looking very young; lots of cedary oak, tobacco, and sweet fruit on the nose; an initial punch like a big Barolo, but with the acidity of Barbera, showing mostly the currant flavors Cabernet Sauvignon, but wrapped up in the plushness of Merlot. Shows currants, along with coffee and vanilla, on the finish, all buttressed nicely by the acids.

OK, I don't think I'm ever going to be accused of being a purist, BUT... This is a confused wine, that ultimately has no harmony. It's not badly made. It has no major flaws. IMHO, it seems it wants to impress--lots of expensive oak on the nose, lots of ripe fruit and complexity, but somehow it just doesn't seem to come together. This wine is a good point in the argument for why one shouldn't, for example, blend Morgon with California Merlot; how does one improve the other? The Quartetto is a ripely sweet wine, lavishly oaked, yet it's NOT a dessert wine, NOT a food-wine wine, NOT a giant monster wine that simply must be drunk on its own. This wine has no niche. Perhaps this means it has no place in the wine world?

App. 83-90 pts.

I guess.

seaq:

when i read the cepages, i couldn't believe the mix. i was thinking exactly what you are. you look for a barbera when you want the acidity to mesh nicely with your chosen dish, cab sauv and nebbiolo mix nicely with appropriate lamb/veal/meat dishes. together, i'm not surprised this wine is looking for a niche. perhaps the vintner was thinking the broodiness of nebbiolo would be a nice counterpart to the cab sauv. i think i'll bypass, you didn't mention the price, but it doesn't sound cheaply made, that's for sure!

It's C$56, or about US$40.

Money was spent making it. Reminds of the (new) adage, "Money can't buy harmony."