Aldo Conterno’s 2012 Cru’s, Is this the DRC of Barolo + the 100 point Granbussia’s, 2008 & 2005!


Poderi Aldo Conterno is one of the few Great Estates of Barolo. “Like tasting young Romanée-Conti” James Suckling referring to the perfectly scored 2005 Granbussia!

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.

The wine point system has some major flaws, when you see 2 perfect scores of 100 in a lineup, something has to be heading in the right directions!

“Like tasting young Romanée-Conti” James Suckling on the 2005 Granbussia (available in magnum)

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 ais 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.

Poderi Aldo Conterno’s Holdings

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

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.

*Quantities are extremely limited. We’ll do our best to fill your request. Following allocation, the wines will be invoiced in full when allocation have been finalised and they are ready for delivery.


About the Wines


2012 Cru Wines

Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo 'Cicala' DOCG 2012

VINEYARD: “Cicala” vineyard, in Bussia (Monforte d’Alba).
NOTES: the vineyard “Cicala” [meaning: balm-cricket] is about 40-45 years old and the vines are replanted from time to time. The main variety of Nebbiolo is Lampia and its rootstock is Rupestris du Lot.

95 Points

This is fantastic with cedar, strawberry, walnut and mineral aromas and flavors. Ultra-fine tannins and a clean finish. Balanced and refined. Why wait? But will be even better in 2018.

Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo 'Colonello' DOCG 2012

VINEYARD: “Colonnello” vineyard, in Bussia (Monforte d’Alba).
NOTES: the vineyard “Colonnello” is about 40-45 years old and, to maintain it, the vines are replanted from time to time. The main variety of Nebbiolo is Michet and its rootstock is 420 A.

95 Points

Warmer aromas of cooked meat, ripe strawberry and fresh herbs. Full body, round and chewy tannins. Big and rich. Needs a year or two to soften. Solid.

Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo 'Romirasco' DOCG 2012

VINEYARD: “Romirasco” vineyard, in Bussia (Monforte d’Alba)
NOTES: the vineyard “Romirasco” is about 50-55 years old and the vines are replanted from time to time. The main variety of Nebbiolo is Lampia and its rootstock is Rupestris du Lot.

97 Points

Very earthy and intense with ripe fruit and hints of bark and mushrooms. Full body, powerful and chewy. Great tannin structure. Better in 2020.

A Special Back Vintage of Romirasco

Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo 'Romirasco' DOCG 2005

VINEYARD: “Romirasco” vineyard, in Bussia (Monforte d’Alba)
NOTES: the vineyard “Romirasco” is about 50-55 years old and the vines are replanted from time to time. The main variety of Nebbiolo is Lampia and its rootstock is Rupestris du Lot.

95 Points

The 2005 Barolo Romirasco is a regal, aristocratic wine that embodies everything a great Barolo should be. The wine reveals awesome density and richness in layers of deeply spiced, mentholated dark fruit, flowers and minerals that continue to emerge from the glass in a never-ending display of sheer elegance and class. This is one of the few truly complete, multi-dimensional wines of the vintage. Today the wine comes across as exceedingly young, and some bottle age is essential in order to enjoy the wine at its very finest. This is a gem from Aldo Conterno. Based on the well-deserved success of the 2004 the estate has decided to bottle a small amount of the Romirasco in each vintage, something Barolo lovers should be thrilled about.
Drink 2013-2030.

Antonio Galloni

18/20

Monopole of 3.5 ha. 55-year-old vines. The Conterno’s favourite vineyard – the highest. Our favourite soil. Clay limestone. Very luscious and gorgeous. Lovely density now. Racy and vibrant. Flattering. Dry but an electric finish. Long. 18 Points/Drink 2018-2032

Jancis Robinson

Drinking Beautifully

In 2017 this is right in the drinking window for Barolo. Now 12 years old it has a wonderful core of fruit, with great nuanced secondary development, bags of truffles, violets, supple long tannins and lingering fruit. Just so enticing. Beautiful balance, incredibly harmonious. Draws you in!

Paul Kaan

MAGNUM FESTA

Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo 'Granbussia Riserva' DOCG

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

*Translated English version from the 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%.

100 Points

2008 - Speechless. Incredible aromas of blackberries, blueberries, dark chocolate and hints of cream. Roses, rose petal, and leaves. Full- bodied, tight, and concentrated. The finish is endless. Perfect harmony. Made from a selection of the best grapes from the oldest vines: 70% Romirasco, 15% Cicala and 15% Colonnello. All co-fermented and macerated for one month in wood. Aged in a 25-hectoliter cask for 33 months. Five years in bottle. Only 3,000 bottles. Perfect now and it will improve with age for decades ahead.

95 Points

2006 - A full-bodied red with muscular tannins and hints of dark chocolate, berries and minerals. Full body, chewy tannins and intensity. Fresh and precise. This is a blend of the top vineyards of Bussia. Almost three years in large wooden casks. A pretty, elegant 2006 that shows balance for a tannic vintage. About 4,000 bottles made.

100 Points

2005 - Like tasting a young Romanee Conti. This is so sexy and titillating. It just begs you to drink it. Fabulous aromas of roses, rose water, light vanilla bean, ripe strawberries, and flowers. Very, very complex. Full body. It's starts off slowly on the palate and then builds and goes on for minutes with balsamic and fruit. It is really the synthesis of Bussia. It is savory too. The grapes that go into this are selected vine by vine. They come from the oldest and most beautiful vines from Conterno's three vineyards in Bussia of Cicala, Colonello and Rominasco. Production has been reduced to a third of the quantity in the past, or about 3,000 bottles. Available in the market in October.

Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo 'Colonello' DOCG 2009

VINEYARD: “Colonnello” vineyard, in Bussia (Monforte d’Alba).
NOTES: the vineyard “Colonnello” is about 40-45 years old and, to maintain it, the vines are replanted from time to time. The main variety of Nebbiolo is Michet and its rootstock is 420 A.

94 Points

This is rich and layered with such beautiful ripe fruit and chocolate, lightly toasted oak, and flowers. It's full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, long finish. There is so much beauty and richness to this. Better in 2015.

Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo 'Cicala' DOCG

VINEYARD: “Cicala” vineyard, in Bussia (Monforte d’Alba).
NOTES: the vineyard “Cicala” [meaning: balm-cricket] is about 40-45 years old and the vines are replanted from time to time. The main variety of Nebbiolo is Lampia and its rootstock is Rupestris du Lot.

95 Points

2012 - This is fantastic with cedar, strawberry, walnut and mineral aromas and flavors. Ultra-fine tannins and a clean finish. Balanced and refined. Why wait? But will be even better in 2018.

95 Points

2005 - Strawberry pie and cream aromas lead to a full-bodied palate. Very thick and powerful, with big, velvety tannins and masses of fruit. A blockbuster style.

James Suckling


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This offer has expired, wines are subject to availability. We'll do our best to satisfy your tastebuds.

Is this the DRC of Barolo?

  • Poderi Aldo Conterno's 2012 Barolo DOCG + Cru's
  • $320ea or $290in any 3
    Price: $ 320.00
  • $320ea or $290 in any 3
    Price: $ 320.00
  • $410ea or $380 in any 3
    Price: $ 410.00
  • Granbussia 2008, 2006 & 2005 Cicala 2012 & 2005 Colonello 2009 The differences in pricing are due to the business not increasing prices over time to reflect price increases from the winery and due to market demand. We have chosen to pass on the savings!
  • $1,060ea or $960 in any 2 - V.Limited
    Price: $ 1,060.00
  • $1,900ea or $1,800 in any 2 - 2 Available
    Price: $ 1,900.00
  • $900ea or $800ea in any 2 - 3 Available
    Price: $ 900.00
  • $1300ea or $1,200ea for any 2 - 2 Available
    Price: $ 1,300.00
  • $560ea or $500ea for any 2 - 5 Available
    Price: $ 560.00
  • $750ea or $670ea for any 2 - 4 Available
    Price: $ 750.00
  • $580ea or $520ea for any 2 - 3 Available
    Price: $ 580.00
  • We bought the lot and scored an extra special deal, so we're sharing the love. $300ea for 3+
    Price: $ 330.00
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