Poderi Aldo Conterno ‘Gran Bussia’ Riserva Barolo 2009

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

Back in 2005, during my first trip to Italy, I spotted a bottle of Aldo Conterno on the list of fine restaurant in Turin, just to the north of Barolo. As the cork was pulled an insane aroma released that was easily sensed across the table.

From that point I was hooked. Over the following years I’ve devoured bottles across decades. The elegance and finesse of these wines is spectacular. When you see comments of flavours lingering for minutes, they are no exaggeration!

Poderi Aldo Conterno is one of the great estates.

“Like tasting young Romanée-Conti” James Suckling on the 2005 Granbussia.

His three great vineyards, Cicala, Colonello and Romirasco (sometimes referred to as Rominasco) are clustered together in the very north of Monforte.

Clockwise from left: Romirasco, Colonello, Cicala

In Giacomo’s opinion, his Romirasco perhaps the most ageable in Giacomo’s opinion.

It is these three Cru’s that are bottle separately. The name Granbussia was created by Aldo for his Riserva, a blend of the best parcels of his three Cru’s. It’s typically a blend of 70% Romirasco, 15% Cicala and 15% Colenello.

Around 300-500 cases of Granbussia are produced, and, only in years deemed to be of outstanding quality.

I’ve devoured the 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1999 Gran Bussia, some on several occasions. It is a truly a special wine.

*The below is a translated English version from Conterno’s website.

The GRANBUSSIA derives from the best Bussia vineyards, in Monforte d’Alba, the valued heart of the Barolo area.

The Granbussia remains in the cellar for at least 9 years before commercialization. It is produced exclusively in the best years and in limited quantities.

A fresh and solid land, both powerful and sensual made of limy marls and compact sand of which Poderi Aldo Conterno and their most noble Barolo are the most subtle, attentive and most of all calm and patient interpreters.

This is because here, in the folds of the Bussia hills, the timing of the countryside governs, slow and master, the right time for grapes as these are.

Aged for thirty months in oak casks and refined for a further six years, the GRANBUSSIA represents the purest and most virtuous essence of three different historical Bussia cru: the Romirasco, Cicala, Colonnello vineyards and it can be flavoured only for those years that are felt as being worthwhile.

The excellence of the GRANBUSSIA is an ancient, inalienable and fouding value that Poderi Aldo Conterno have kept unchanged over the time.

The oenological and wine-growing techniques used allow to achieve a fruity Barolo, unique as far as smoothness, with the tradition of the native vine being well set in.

Therefore traditional but also evolved.

These are decisions that find a correspondence in the temperament of the grapes of the area, intransigent Nebbiolo grapes.

These represent choices of character, made from a company that has turned the attachment to the land into a matter of pride.

VINEYARD: Romirasco, Cicala and Colonnelo vineyards (Bussia – Monforte d’Alba).
CELLAR REFINING: once removed the new wine remains in oak casks where it ages and refines.
NOTES: the Barolo Reserve Granbussia is produced by blending grapes from the oldest vines, from the Romirasco, Cicala, and Colonnello, before fermentation starts, in the following percentages respectively: 70% – 15% – 15%.

About Aldo Conterno

Poderi Aldo Conterno is steeped in the history of Barolo. Giacomo Conterno, producer of the famed Barolo Riserva, Monfortino, and, Barolo Cascina Francia, was run by Giacomo’s son’s, Giovani and Aldo, until 1969 when Aldo went his own way, founding Poderi Aldo Conterno.Whilst having differing winemaking philosophies was at the root of the move. They share a commonality, in the desire to make wines that are a great expression of the vineyard, without the interference of small new oak. Aldo Conterno stated, “Vanilla, toast, spice and sweet tannins don’t belong in Barolo”.

The two brothers, Barolista to the core, have undoubtedly gone on to build to of the greatest estates in Barolo.

Aldo Conterno’s wines balance, age in large old oak, Botti, and, stainless to bring poised wines to lovers of great Barolo.

Aldo’s son, Giacomo, speaks to their continued drive to raise the bar. The estate has gone from 200,000 bottles in the 1980’s to around 80,000 today from the same, 25 hectares of vineyard. Combined with this skin contact has increased to 5-6 weeks. This for me is a sign that the depth of fruit has increased, enabling or perhaps requiring the extended skin contact to tame it and further enhance the mouthfeel of the tannins. Romirasco perhaps the most ageable in Giacomo’s opinion.

Technique aside, Aldo Conterno’s wines are truly wines of incredible beauty.

SPECIES OF VINE: Nebbiolo, Michet and Lampia varieties.
HARVEST: manual, with grapes selection in the vineyard.
TIME OF HARVEST: mid-October.
VINIFICATION: red, with skin contact inside stainless steel vats.
VINIFICATION TIME: the must stays on contact with the skins for 4-5 weeks: during this time the alcoholic fermentation gets fully complete.
VINIFICATION TEMPERATURES: changeable, with highest peaks of 32 degrees centigrades.
CELLAR REFINING: The new wine is decanted several times before transfer to oak casks where it is aged and refined.

In Giacomo’s opinion, his Romirasco perhaps the most ageable in Giacomo’s opinion.

It is these three Cru’s that are bottle separately. The name Granbussia was created by Aldo for his Riserva, a blend of the best parcels of his three Cru’s. It’s typically a blend of 70% Romirasco, 15% Cicala and 15% Colenello.

Around 600 cases of Granbussia are produced, and, only in years deemed to be of outstanding quality.

The 2009 Vintage

2009 has produced many wines of great richness and oppulence. Many of which will need a little more time to fully express their beauty. As of 2021, in generally it’s a drink and hold vintage.

I’m well known for bagging the crap out of vintage charts. Never seen a good one, until now. Scoring a wine range with just one dimmension is a waste of time, particularly when it covers an area like South East Australia AKA NSW, Vic & SA.

I’ve finally seen one that shows careful consideration and merits the same.

Not surprisingly it’s Giuseppe Vajra’s behind it. It’s only for the 10km x 15km Barolo region.

Presenting 2 spectrums, and 3 vintage descriptors, it’s designed to give an insight into the last 20 years in Barolo.  It simply highlights the key elements of Barolo with enough detail to add context.
Reflecting on the wines in the Uber home I flicked to this chart, it all made sense. F#@k Me! A vintage chart that actually added real value.

The baseline in Barolo has lifted over the last 30 years. Dud years are less of an issue. Vignerons are much further down the long and winding road of understanding how to manage vineyards and fruit in any given, climate change impacted year.  Now it’s more a case of which years to drink early and which years to hold.

Perhaps that would be 6 dimension to add to Giuseppe’s chart! It could only be an extreme generalisation given just how much winemaking choices impact the life span of any wine.

Maybe one day we’ll see this format used for other regions and wine types.

Where in the World is Poderi Aldo Conterno?

Aldo Conterno’s holdings rest in Bussia, a vein that runs vertically up the centre of the Barolo commune Monforte d’Alba.

His three great vineyards, Cicala, Colonello and Romirasco (sometimes referred to as Rominasco) are clustered together in the very north of Monforte.

Clockwise from left: Romirasco, Colonello, Cicala

If you have a Barolo MGA 360º subscription check out Bussia in exceptional detail.

This 3D flyover is Epic covering each of the communes you can see just how varied and extreme the aspect of each vineyard is and how in the space of a few metres just how dramatically the change.