94 pts Vinous (Galloni)
The 2017 Laboro Disobedient is a huge, potent wine that is going to need at least a few years in bottle to shed some of its considerable baby fat. Raspberry, rose petal, cinnamon and sweet spice are all amplified in this decidedly opulent wine. Time brings out aromatic presence and plenty of underlying substance. The 2017 is a real beauty. Some years ago, the Fantino brothers had one of their Riserva Barolos rejected by the DOCG tasting commission because they submitted the required paperwork a day late. That wine became Laboro Disobedient, which has been made every year since then. The latest edition is terrific.
- By Antonio Galloni on November 2021
Brothers Alessandro and Gian Natale Fantino run one of the under-the-radar jewels of Piedmont. Their tiny winery, located in Monforte's historic center is easy to miss. Once again, I was quite taken with the wines I tasted. The Fantinos favor relatively long aging for their Barolos relative to today's standards, so these are the current releases. Readers who enjoy classically-built, old-school Barolos will find much to admire.

This wine comes from a Barolo MGA vineyard (Bussia) and is aged as long as a Barolo riserva, but does not qualify to be labeled as a Barolo as the Fantino boys ran into a little paperwork issue and the name and wine was so popular they decided to stick with it!  If it ain't broke I guess...

• 70-year-old vines in Monforte d’Alba (planted 1946-1947) 
• Vineyard manager and oenologist at Bartolo Mascarello under Bartolo (1978-1997)
• Bussia Cru vineyard, the Dardi sub-section 
• Fermented for 25-30 days in large Slavonian oak botti 
• 5 years elevage in large Slavonian oak botti
• Aged in bottle for 12 months before release 

A late 2017 Monforte d’Alba based Barolo from the Fantino brothers that are the core producer for Barolo in the Kermit Portfolio.  Alessandro Fantino, one of the two brothers that run the winery, managed the vineyards and served as the enologist at Bartolo Mascarello for 20 years, from 1978 to 1997. 

Made from the Bussia Cru vineyard in Monforte, the fruit is entirely from the esteemed Dardi subsection.  This is their flagship wine and one with a bizarre story of them filing a few things late to certify the wine so they were not granted the Barolo Riserva designation (and a much higher price I would think closer to $125).  ‘Laboro’ is an anagram for Barolo, and well, the other half Disobedient going with the rebellious theme of releasing the wine anyways.   While the Vino Rosso tag limits the price, it certainly does not limit the quality in the bottle.  For better or worse, Barolo at this quality and price intersection is just is not all that common anymore!

The original intent of this wine was to be a Barolo Riserva but ran into a few problems with the DOCG authorities filing paperwork late.  Instead of changing the aspects the DOCG was requiring, they said to heck with it and de-classified it, thus the Barolo DOCG sticker is not on this wine and never has been. 

As you would expect, the wine is classically made, a Barolo Riserva in every way except without the DOCG’s blessing.  It ages for 5 and a half years in botti, and is also fermented in botti – the only wine in their stable to do so (the other wines are fermented in steel tanks).

A&G Fantino 

Two brothers, Alessandro and Gian Natale Fantino, run this family estate in Monforte d’Alba. Alessandro managed the vineyards and served as the enologist at Cantina Bartolo Mascarello for 20 years, from 1978 to 1997. Since 1998, he has dedicated himself to running his family estate alongside his brother full-time.

The brothers farm eight hectares in the heart of the historic Bussia cru north of Monforte, one of Barolo’s most famous areas for producing wines of great longevity and finesse. The Fantino holdings are concentrated exclusively in the “Dardi” section of Bussia, a hillside with perfect southern and southeastern exposure in the geographic center of Bussia. This gives them their “Cascina Dardi” brand name on the label of their Barbera and Baroli (for those already familiar with these wines, they were formerly labeled as Vigna dei Dardi, before the brothers registered the Cascina Dardi trademark).

Barolos from Bussia tend to have deep color and rich fruit and while they don’t lack the classic tannic structure of Nebbiolo from this part of the world, they are not nearly as hard as the Barolos from the southside of Monforte or from Serralunga. This fact does not preclude the Fantino Baroli from aging but makes them delightfully approachable relatively young. The Fantinos are also blessed with some of the oldest vines in the entire Barolo zone, thanks to the fastidious care given to them by Alessandro and Gian Natale. Planted in 1946 and 1947 and pruned in an old style that is very labor intensive, they produce grapes that would be the envy of any Barolista.

The Fantino brothers produce an amazing Barbera d’Alba from these ancient vines in Dardi, and a “Rosso dei Dardi” from younger vine Nebbiolo planted on a west-facing slope. The Barbera is loaded with lush fruit and smooth, silky texture, and a ravishing perfume. The Rosso is playful, fruit-driven, fresh, and aromatic. They are also specialists with several traditional Piemontese wines that are mostly disappearing: Nebbiolo Passito and Barolo Chinato. - Importer