Situated in Monforte d’Alba in the prized Bussia Soprano vineyard in the heart of the Barolo region of Serralunga, the Conterno family has been producing and aging the great Piemontese wines for more than five generations.
The late Aldo left his brother at his father’s cellar (the legendary Giacomo Conterno estate) in 1969 to pursue his own winemaking interests and to create the wines of Poderi Aldo Conterno in the “Favot” cellar. While Giacomo produces the more traditional style of the two Conterno brothers’ estates, Poderi Aldo Conterno’s wines aren’t considered modern.
Over the past decade, the wines of Aldo Conterno have grown more traditional in style, and they have captivated the passion of Italian wine lovers as they have. Known as the “King of Barolo” in Italy, Aldo Conterno passed away in May 2012, and the wine world lost not only a pioneer and a visionary but also a man of great dignity and grace. Fortunately, Aldo trained his three sons in his footsteps so that his eponymous estate will not merely perpetuate but flourish, as befits Aldo’s legacy.
93 Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate
My personal favorite in the Conterno line has always been the Barolo from the Cicala vineyard, though it is always the most tannic in its youth, and the latest to come around. The 1999 Barolo Vigna Cicala is no exception. Ruby/garnet, potent on the nose with varietal Nebbiolo scents of roses, wild cherries, tar, and minerals, it is long and intense on the palate, full-textured and with a notable tannic punch which adds density and length to the flow. Still backward and with a smoky, mineral, and licorice close, this is a wine which will repay patience.