Poderi Aldo Conterno is one of the most respected names in Italian wine, with their namesake founder described by Jancis Robinson as “one of Barolo's most emblematic characters”. Particularly famed for their single-vineyard Barolos, the wines of Poderi Aldo Conterno are widely regarded to be among the finest examples of Nebbiolo made today. Over the years, production has been deliberately reduced to increase quality. From the same 25 hectares of 60-year-old vines in Piemonte, the Conterno family now produce 80,000 bottles rather than the 180,000 made in 1998. This intensity shines through in the wines, which are defined by their signature elegance.
The Conterno family has made wine in Monforte d’Alba since at least the 1700s. Aldo’s grandfather, Giovanni Conterno, founded his own winery in 1908, later run by his son Giacomo. After a stint in the USA during the 1950s, Aldo worked with his older brother Giovanni in the family winery before deciding to strike out on his own in 1969. Aldo’s three sons now run Poderi Aldo Conterno, with Stefano making the wines while Franco and Giacomo manage the business.
The Chardonnay ‘Bussiador’ is perfectly balanced and elegant, with texture and acidity underpinning the refined and intense character of the wine. The Barbera ‘Conca Tre Pile’ is elegant yet rich with a classic Barbera zip on the finish. The grapes for Langhe Nebbiolo ‘Il Favot’ hail from vineyards no more than 20 years old. The wine has a fresh, lively fruit character with elegant, lifted aromas. The ‘Bussia’ is a blend of younger vines (25 - 30 years old) hailing from Conterno's three plots: Cicala, Romirasco and Colonnello. The wine has a fine nose which shows floral and herbaceous notes with subtle red fruits. The elegance of the ‘Colonnello’, scented with a silky texture and lovely mineral finish, contrasts with the more structured ‘Cicala’, which stands out with a length and grainy tannin structure that few wines can match. The ‘Romirasco’ is perfumed, intense, ripe and mineral with great length and superb tannins. The Romirasco vineyard, planted on the highest point of the hill of Bussia, provides 70% of the Barolo ‘Granbussia’ fruit, giving the wine aromatic intensity, length and balance.
Owned by the Conterno family, the Cicala vineyard is a plot within the bigger Bussia vineyard in the commune of Monforte, at the heart of the Barolo denomination. Cicala enjoys a favourable South - South West exposure which allows long hours of lights in the afternoon and helps Nebbiolo grapes to reach easily full ripeness at the end of the season. Soils here are mainly clay - calcareous, rich in chalk and iron. The Nebbiolo vines here are Lampia clones and are approximately 50 years old.
The 2017 vintage was relatively hot and dry. Temperatures throughout winter were mild, with only a little snowfall. Warm weather and limited rainfall continued in spring, meaning bud burst and fruit set occurred uniformly in good conditions. Frost toward the end of April threatened vineyards across Italy, but fortunately, in the Langhe only the bottom of the valleys and cooler slopes were affected. Weather in the summer was stable, ensuring excellent conditions in terms of plant protection, so there are no particular vineyard management issues to be reported. The maximum temperatures recorded during the summer months were above average, just as they were in the whole of Italy, but the nights were cooler than in other hot years, allowing a slow accumulation of sugar and flavour. At the end of August some rainfall helped to rebalance the water supply of the vines. On the first week of September temperatures dropped again and growing patterns were nearer to seasonal averages. Harvest started in mid October.
Grapes were hand harvested and selected in the vineyards. Once arrived at the winery, they were fermented in stainless-steel tanks at temperatures of up to 32°C. Maceration lasted 30 days. The wine remained in stainless steel for a few months before being transferred to oak casks where it remained for 28 months before bottling.
The nose opens with notes of dry leaves, red flowers, cherries and subtle forest floor aromas. Full-bodied, the Cicala has a smooth yet firm palate with silky tannins and a long, complex and perfumed finish.
