Giacomo Conterno

Giacomo Conterno is without a doubt one of the best in Piemonte. It is one of the most traditional producers of the region.

Situated amongst the hills of the Langhe in Piemonte, the Giacomo Cantino winery is a small family business, which has been in existence for over a century and has consistently produced one of Italy’s most highly regarded red wines with a low profile and with virtually no compromise.

History

The story began in 1908, when Giovanni Contino opened a small tavern in the village of San Giuseppe, near Monforte d’Alba. He produced Barolo wine for his own tavern and, in keeping with the custom of the time, sold off the wine left in the barrels. His son, Giacomo, changed this practice upon his return from the First World War. Convinced that the Nebbiolo grapes produced on these hills deserved better treatment, he began bottling and selling the wine under the family name, and in 1924 released the first vintage of what would become the estate’s flagship wine, ‘Barolo Riserva Monfortino’.

Following Giacomo’s death in 1961, management passed to his sons Giovanni and Aldo. This partnership did not last long: the two men had fundamental differences regarding winemaking methods, and in 1969 Aldo left to establish his own winery “Poderi Aldo Conterno”. Giovanni continued the business alone, adhering to the traditional winemaking methods established by his father. In 1988, his son Roberto joined the team and took over the management of the estate following Giovanni’s death in 2004.

In 2018, Roberto expanded the family business by acquiring the historic Nervi estate in Gattinara, some 100 kilometres to the north, though Serralunga d’Alba remains the heart of the enterprise.

Vineyards

The estate owns three vineyards, all situated within the municipality of Serralunga d'Alba. The oldest is Cascina Francia, this 14-hectare vineyard was purchased by Giovanni Contino in 1974, a move that brought an end to the family’s long-standing practice of sourcing grapes from other producers.

The first vintage produced exclusively from the estate’s own grapes was released in 1978. In 2008, Roberto acquired the Ceretti estate, a 3-hectare plot planted with Nebbiolo and Barbera. Subsequently, in 2015, he acquired Arione, a larger plot of approximately 9 hectares planted with Nebbiolo, situated south of Serralunga. Together, these three vineyards cover a total of around 26 hectares, situated in one of Barolo’s most prized sub-regions.

Terroir

Serralunga d’Alba is situated in one of the most challenging soil conditions within the Barolo region, characterised by dense Helvetian limestone and clay. This soil is poor, well-drained and nutrient-limited, forcing the vines to strive to their utmost, resulting in small-berried, intensely flavoured fruit. Compared to the more fertile soils of La Morra or the village of Barolo, wines from the Serralunga area are typically firm and closed in their youth, yet are naturally suited to long-term ageing.

Each vineyard possesses a unique character: Arione, with its south-facing, limestone-rich soil, produces aromatic wines with soft tannins; whilst the west-facing Cherretta, with its clay-rich soils, yields wines with intense red fruit aromas and a more robust structure; and Cascina Francia, also west-facing and situated on limestone soils, forms the cornerstone of the estate’s most renowned wines.

Grape Varieties

Giacomo Conterno focuses on two grape varieties: Nebbiolo and Barbera. Nebbiolo is the sole component of all Barolo wines and is one of the most demanding grape varieties in the world. With its thin skin, late ripening and extreme sensitivity to terroir, it tolerates no mistakes. Yet in the hands of a skilled winemaker, it produces wines of astonishing depth, with a rich array of aromas ranging from dried roses and tar to liquorice, forest floor and truffle.

Barbera is grown on the Cascina Francia and Cerretta plots and is used to produce Barbera d’Alba.

Winemaking

This is precisely what sets Giacomo Conterno apart from most contemporary Barolo winemakers. Although many winemakers have shifted towards shorter maceration periods and small French oak barrels since the 1980s, the Conterno family has remained faithful to its traditions. Their approach is deeply traditional in every respect: maceration lasting several weeks, followed by extended ageing in massive Slovenian oak vats, known locally as botti grandi. These large oak vats impart far less oak character than small barriques, allowing the wine’s character to be deeply rooted in the grape variety and terroir, rather than derived from the wood.

Wines

The range is small but precisely focused. The Barbera d’Alba Cascina Francia is, relatively speaking, a choice suited to everyday drinking. Above this are three Barolos from the same vineyard: Cascina Francia, Cerretta and Arione, each aged for four years in large oak barrels before release.

What truly has made the estate famous is the ‘Barolo Riserva Monfortino’, a wine produced only in vintages that Roberto deems truly exceptional, and aged for six to seven years in large Slovenian oak barrels before bottling. Since its first production in 1924, Monfortino has become one of the most sought-after Italian wines on the market; in good vintages, production typically amounts to around 7,000 bottles. When these bottles are released, they usually sell out very quickly.