Aldo Conterno Barolo and White Truffle Wine Tasting at WWWB

“It’s a celebration. Clap, clap, bravo./Lobster and shrimp
and a glass of moscato.”
– Drake on Trey Songz’ hit track “I Invented Sex.”

And Moscato is one of the hottest trending white varietals in the US today.  You can find the best examples of this wine from the Piedmont and most of them are under $20 per bottle.

For my taste if you would build a perfect grape varietal it would be Nebbiolo. It has the nuance and spice of Pinot Noir with the structure and tannic backbone of Bordeaux and other Cabernet Sauvignon based wines.  Come out and check out my favorite along with a few others from the world’s only place for Nebbiolo!

Barbera is also one of my favorite varietals and its diversity with food is enhanced by its pronounced acidity and the nuance from the earth, truffles, dark berry fruit and light tannic structure make it a crowd pleaser from the day it is released.  Whereas Nebbiolo needs to be cellared for 10+ years in a great vintage most Barbera can be enjoyed while you are waiting for your Barolos and Barbarescos to mellow out in your cellar.

We have one of the greatest producers in town for this event with Franco Conterno here to tell the tale of the Conterno family in the Piedmont and we have two vintages of the Granbussia Barolo on the table tonight along with a special menu featuring the white truffle from Alba. 

There are only 12 seats available for this event and the price for this tasting is $250 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

Aldo Conterno Barolo and White Truffle Wine Tasting at WWWB
with Special guest Franco Conterno
Thursday, October 26, 2017
7:30 PM

Aldo Conterno Conca Tre Pile Barbera 2014
Price: $42.75       Sale $37.62

The "Conca Tre Pile" is a hilly area in Bussia Soprana where the vines are predominantly Barbera, with vineyards having a maximum age of 45 years. After a few months inside stainless steel vats, the new wine is put in oak casks where it remains a few months.

2013 Aldo Conterno Langhe Rosso
Price: $31.50       Sale $27.72

A blend of 80% Freisa, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the blend, 9 months in stainless and then in barrique for 9 months, the vines were planted in the early 1940's and 50's. This wine has a rustic quality to the bouquet of fresh picked flowers, black licorice spice, dark cherry fruit and some of that Piedmont fresh earth, black truffle. A big and chewy wine on the tongue with layers of that plump ripe fruit and nice structure here through the finish, this wine has lovely balance and a typical piedmont earthy nuance through the finish. Finish 35+ Very Good +

2011  Aldo Conterno Langhe Nebbiolo
Price: $67.50       Sale $59.40

Juicy with pure Nebbiolo fruit, offering a dusting of earth and spices and a waft of floral and citrus aromatics, the ’11 Langhe Nebbiolo from Aldo Conterno is a delicious early-drinking alternative to this august producer’s Barolo. This calling card from Aldo Conterno derives from vines aged twenty years or younger, and unsurprisingly, Conterno’s Langhe Nebbiolo looks, smells, feels and tastes more like a Baby Barolo than like a Nebbiolo d’Alba. Rain-spattered violets and lavender, fistfuls of plums and red currants, a dusting of chestnut, sinuous tannins and fantastic density make this wine a winner--and one whose lush mouth-feel makes it drink like a very approachable, barrique-aged Barolo at a fraction of the price.

2013  Aldo Conterno Langhe Nebbiolo
Price: $67.50       Sale $59.40

2013 Aldo Conterno Barolo “Bussia”
Price: $87.00       Sale $76.56

Aldo Conterno’s Barolo Bussia is produced from five hectares of prime vineyards in Bussia Soprano, the original section of what has become a rather large vineyard in recent years. These five hectares are spread across three separate parcels with vines averaging 35-40 years old, with no vines younger than 20 years old.

(94 Points) "A fragrant style, offering rose, cherry, earth, mineral and cumin aromas and flavors. Young and tense, yet shows fine potential, with complex flavors, good structure and a long aftertaste. Best from 2023 through 2040." Wine Spectator

2012 Aldo Conterno Barolo Colonello
Price: $165.00    Sale $145.20

(93 Points) The aromas and flavors are a combination of ripe cherry, leather and vanilla that quickly shuts down in the face of dense, dusty tannins. Best from 2020 through 2036. Wine Spectator

1999 Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia
Price: $450.00    Sale $396

(95 Points) This is a great showing for Conterno's 1999 Barolo Riserva Granbussia. A deeply-flavored, structured wine, it offers expressive aromatics and layers of sweet black cherries, roses and tar in a powerful, intense style. It needs at least a few additional years of cellaring for the oak to soften, but it is a terrific effort. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2024. erobertparker.com Antonio Galloni's Italy Report # 0805, May 2008

2005 Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia

(95 points) The 2005 Barolo Riserva Granbussia is shaping up to be one of the great wines of the vintage. The bouquet is classic Barolo to the core “ pure rose petals, tar, licorice, orange peel and leather. The 2005 is a wine of contrasts. It is at once powerful yet delicate, rich yet weightless. In other words, it captures all of the elements that make Nebbiolo such a fascinating grape. Both bottles I tasted were spectacular. Within the context of Granbussia, the 2005 isn't likely to be one of the longer-lived vintages, but it is stunning right now. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025. Wine Advocate #200 Apr 2012

Menu

Parmesan Flan with White Truffles from Alba

Vela Carpaccio With white truffles

Ricotta and Egg Ravioli with Kerry gold Butter and White Truffle

The fee for this dinner is $250 + tax, there are only 12 seats available for this tasting.

A bit about Aldo Conterno:

zienda Agricola Poderi Conterno is undeniably one of the crown jewels of Piedmont. Their five bottlings of Barolo are considered prime examples of the traditional style. Each is extraordinarily complex and expressive of grape, region and winemaking technique. Their Barbera, Dolcetto and Chardonnay are equally brilliant in a more modern, fruit forward style. A few years back, Matt Kramer in the Wine Spectator called Aldo Conterno "Barolo's greatest winemaker." High praise indeed and, as most would agree, well deserved. The Conterno name is inextricably woven into the fabric of the Barolo countryside. Five generations of Conternos have farmed the region’s land and vinified its grapes. Today the estate is run by Franco (marketing), Giacomo (vineyards and operations) and Stefano (winemaking).They, along with
their ancestors, have defined the district’s style and helped spread its lofty reputation to critics and collectors around the globe.

The winery, established in 1750 in the village Monforte d’Alba, includes 25 hectares of vineyards located roughly 1200 feet above sea level. The farmhouse Poderi Aldo Conterno is situated in Bussia, the very heart of Barolo. The winery vinifies only estate grapes farmed by hand using old-fashioned, labor intensive, sustainable methods. Most of the vineyards face south or south-west and feature soils composed of grey-brown layers of sand interspersed with white and blue calcareous marls. The cru vineyard plots Romirasco, Cicala and Colonnello, all within the Bussia Soprana vineyard near the town of Bussia, are among the finest sites in the region. Their combination of exposure, aspect, elevation and soils provide ideal conditions for the Nebbiolo grape. At the apex of Conterno’s winemaking stands Barolo Granbussia. Produced only in exceptional vintages, Granbussia is a blend of wine from the three vineyard plots. Typically the blend is made from 70% Romirasco, 15% Cicala and 15% Colonello.

Conterno’s Barolos are all fermented in stainless steel vats to control the temperatures. While different from past practices, this has helped produce wines that are noticeably deeper and richer. Typically, the Barolos spend fifteen days on the skins until the fermentation is complete. The seeds are removed to avoid bitter tannins and the tanks are rotated to heighten color, fruit and texture. After fermentation, the Barolos are aged in large Slavonian oak casks. The Grandbussia spends three years in wood, two years in stainless steel tanks, and one year in bottle prior to release. While the Conternos feel large neutral casks are ideal for their Barolos, they do prefer small French oak barriques for Barbera, Dolcetto and Chardonnay. The Conternos run a family operation in the truest sense of the word. They have a centuries-old understanding of their land and grapes. This gives them the ability to produce astonishingly complex, profound and true wines. 

I had the opportunity to stop by and see visit with Aldo in 1994 and this was the first time that I experienced the ritual of seasoning the glasses.  Aldo was good to us that day as he opened a bottle of the 1985 Granbussia with our group.  I still remember that wine and looked for it the rest of the trip, unfortunately without luck I went home empty handed.  A few years later I was able to taste through 8 vintages of this wine at The Great Wine Seminar.  This spectacular array of Barolo was one of the greatest of its kind that I have ever tasted.  Still I had only been able to obtain a few bottles of this wine every time it was released, until just recently after the winery changed importers.  This 1999 is an incredible value priced at over 50% off the regular list price for Granbussia, and we have an amazing 48 bottles of this wine available!  This wine had traditionally only been made 3-4 vintages in a decade, but with the outstanding string of vintages from 1995-2001 Granbussia was made every year during this 7 year string.

A bit about Barolo:

Barolo has a long history of wine production, the area was named some 400 years ago and probably came from the Celtic brolio or brol, meaning "wood" or "orchard".   The region of Barolo encompasses approximately 3,000 acres of vines situated southwest of the town of Alba, in all or part of 11 communes.  First is La Morra, with nearly one-third of the total acreage.  Following in decreasing order are Serralunga d’alba, Monforte d’Alba, Barolo, and Castiglione Falletto, and parts of six other villages.  One of the most famous and most sought after vineyards in Barolo is Cannubi.

There are two main valleys in the Barolo production zone: the Barolo Valley to the west, and the Serralunga Valley to the east.  La Morra and Barolo itself are the major villages in the western valley, which also encompasses Cherasco, Novello, Roddi d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto and Monforte are the major towns;  Diano d’Alba and Grinzane Cavour are also included in this district.  There are distinct characteristics that are indigenous to the wines of various area:  the wines of Serralunga Valley have suggestions of licorice and tar, the Barolos of Serralunga itself display camphor and mint; those from Castiglione Falleto have a pronounced licorice characteristic as well as nuances of spice, mint, dried peaches, and prunes; those from Monforte recall spices, mint hazelnuts, and almonds.  The wines from the Barolo Valley bring up underbrush and truffle, as well as licorice.  Those wines from the village of Barolo have less of a licorice character but more suggestions of underbrush, truffles, and mint.  The wines of la Morra, especially those from the slopes, combine nuances of white truffle, mint, tobacco, spices, cherries, and blackberries and those from Cannubi display motes of white truffles, underbrush, raspberries, and black cherries. 

Other Wines Available from Aldo Conterno:

Aldo Conterno Chardonnay Bussiador 2013
Price: $75.00       Sale $66.00

Aldo Conterno Chardonnay Bussiador 2014
Price: $75.00       Sale $66.00

Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala 2012 1.5L
Price $165.00      Sale $145.20

(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."" 03/16"  James Suckling

Aldo Conterno Barolo Romirasco 2012
Price: $240.00    Sale $211.20

(93 points) Poderi Aldo Conterno's Bussia Romirasco sees a few extra months of oak aging. The 2012 Barolo Bussia Romirasco greatly benefits from that extra wood. Because the fruit in 2012 is less expressive overall, the Romirasco signature touch bodes well for its texture, heft and its aromatic delivery. This Barolo offers pretty richness and density with thick lines and deep concentration. The oak needs more years to integrate, but I feel confident that it will reach harmony, with time, given the wine's generous structure and fruity richness. (ML) (6/2016) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Aldo Conterno Barolo Granbussia 2006
Price: $375.00    Sale $330.00      

(97 Points) "A terrific red from start to finish. The fireworks start with aromas of cherry, licorice, sandalwood and tar, augmented by intense flavors and a juicy texture. Long, complete and complex, offering beautifully integrated tannins. Drink now through 2030. 250 cases imported."" 11/14" Wine Spectator