Grape: 100% Nebbiolo
Region: Italy> Piedmonte> Monforte d’Alba> Bussia> Colonello.
Notes: South/ Southwest facing slopes.
Description: In order to place the name Barolo on a bottle of wine, the wine must undergo at least 18 months in barrel and 20 months in bottle.
Aldo Conterno belongs to an elite group of historical Barolo producers. Bussia is a locality within the Monforte d’Alba commune. Known to produce rich, concentrated characteristics with wonderful structure and intensity.
In the mid-’50s, Aldo set out for the United States, hoping to establish a winemaking business in California, with the help of an uncle who lived there. Upon his return to the family business in Italy around 1961, father Giacomo handed over the winery to his sons: it was a thriving and prestigious business, recognized throughout most of the country. Yet, the five-year experience in the United States had kindled within Aldo a desire to establish a business of his own. After working for a considerable time alongside his brother, Aldo bought the “Favot” farm, founding the estate “Poderi Aldo Conterno” in 1969.
The farmhouse is situated in the Bussia hamlet, a section of the Monforte d’Alba village.
At present, the farm comprises about 25 hectares of vineyards considered to be some of the very best plots in all of the Langhe. At an altitude of about 400 meters above sea level, the terrain is oriented south-southwest and is composed of gray-brown compact layers of sandy soil alternating with white and bluish calcareous marls, rich with calcium carbonate and iron.
All fruit is strictly hand harvested in mid-October. Fermentation occurs in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks. The estate’s four Barolos are vinified in the same manner: they are all fermented in horizontal fermenters, “which are different from the more violent rotary fermenters” according to Conterno. Fermentation and maceration lasts 2-3 weeks, depending on the vintage.
The wines are then aged exclusively in Slavonian-oak casks ranging from 25 to 75 hectoliters, which are changed every 15-18 years. Selected yeasts are never used. The wines are remarkably approachable and tend to show a lot of sweet fruit in their youths as well as notes of spices and vanilla. These are very clean and polished wines of great elegance. All the other wines are aged in French-oak barriques.
