'05 Clerico was slow-o'd for 9 hours prior to dinner and then decanted at the restaurant. '99 Conterno Fantino was slow-o'd for 4 hours prior to dinner and served from bottle.
The '99 Conterno Fantino was a showcase for a nicely matured Barolo. Black cherry with dusty tannins and tar. Nose took a while to open up. Paired in stelllar fashion with Ossobuco. One of the more enjoyable Barolo's I've had from the classic 1999 vintage.
The '05 Clerico is still young. Exhibits very tasty fruit at this stage with balsamic accents and anise. The tannins come in heavy after the initial taste of fruit. Could be in prime drinking window in another 5 years. As the dinner progressed, the Clerico seemed to shut down down slightly, possibly due to the decanting and increased exposure to air.
We were drawn to the Clerico again & again early on with the voluptuous fruit and classic components (that will eventually come together).
The classicism of the Conterno Fantino took over as dinner progressed and it paired so well with the cuisine.
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