Conterno Fantino

Since 1990, the Dolcetto vines of Bricco Bastia have been growing at an altitude of 550 metres near Monforte d'Alba, on south-, west- and east-facing slopes, on sandy silt. The gradient ranges from a gentle 15% to a steep 35 per cent; the grapes are harvested by hand in early September, with the vines yielding 70 to 80 double centners per hectare, and the vineyard is managed organically. In the cellar, the process is straightforward: fermentation and malolactic fermentation take place in stainless steel tanks, where the wine also matures.

As early as the end of August, the grapes for the Prinsìpi are harvested in Monforte d'Alba, by hand and at the peak of ripeness. Chardonnay and Manzoni Bianco – a cross between Riesling and Pinot Blanc – grow there on west- and east-facing slopes, at altitudes of between 300 and 550 metres, in organically farmed vineyards. The soil is silty, with varying proportions of sand and limestone. The altitude lends the wine its freshness, whilst the stainless-steel tank helps to preserve it: fermentation and ageing take place entirely without the use of wood. This wine has been produced since 2005, with around 15,000 bottles made each year.

The grapes for Vignota come from five selected vineyards in Monforte d'Alba, whose calcareous marl soils with loamy and sandy inclusions give the Barbera grapes expression and depth. Bright ruby red colour with a purple hue. Aromas of ripe cherry, blackberry and plum, underpinned by violets, herbs and a hint of liquorice. Juicy and balanced on the palate, with present, well-integrated acidity and soft, fine-grained tannins. After fermentation, the wine matures for several months in used French barriques, which gives it additional harmony and fine spicy notes. An exciting and very serious Barbera with a regional profile and good structure. SUPERIORE.DE

Beppe Fenoglio and Cesare Pavese have chronicled these hills; it was from them that the families of Conterno Fantino learnt to express who they are. They do so primarily through red wine, and since 1993 also through a Chardonnay. Near Monforte d'Alba, Chardonnay has been grown since 1990; planting continued until 1998 on west- and east-facing slopes at altitudes between 300 and 550 metres, in silty soil with a high sand content, using organic farming methods. The grapes are harvested by hand in early September; the whole bunches are gently pressed, and fermentation and malolactic fermentation take place in French oak, where the wine also matures in barrels of various sizes.

Monprà is made in equal parts from Barbera and Nebbiolo – two distinctive Piedmontese grape varieties which, together, create a profile characterised by fruit, vibrancy and refined structure. They are grown in Monforte d'Alba at an altitude of 300–400 metres on calcareous marl soils with sandy and clayey veins, which lend the wine minerality and structure. Both grape varieties are fermented separately, undergo malolactic fermentation and are then aged for around twelve months in used French barriques. Only then are they blended – ensuring that the distinctive characteristics of both varieties are preserved and brought together into a harmonious whole.

Four planting years on a hillside: 1969, 1986, 2007 and 2012. Anyone walking through the Vigna Pressenda vineyard is walking through more than four decades of viticultural history. It is situated in the Castelletto vineyard near Monforte d'Alba, facing south-east, at an altitude of between 340 and 360 metres, on the Lequio Formation with light-coloured, sandy-silty, highly calcareous soil above it. The wine has only been produced since 2013, with around 6,000 bottles made each year, and it comes from certified organic cultivation. The estate describes its mission as follows: the wine should have something to say every year that is worth listening to. Here, it has four voices in the chorus to convey this.

The soil is light, silty, sandy and highly calcareous, and beneath it lies the Lequio Formation. This is where the Vigna del Gris vineyard is situated, in Ginestra, facing south-east, on a 30% slope at an altitude of between 300 and 350 metres. A south-easterly aspect means the sun rises early, and on the hill overlooking the Langhe, winds blow in from the Ligurian Sea. Planting began in 1983, with the wine's first vintage following in 1985. The winery guides the wine every step of the way, with hand-picking, natural yeasts and a measured use of oak. The Barolo is produced from certified organic vines. There are 4,500 to 5,000 vines per hectare, trained using the Guyot method; they yield 5.5 to 6 tonnes, with harvesting taking place in October. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel, whilst acid reduction and ageing occur in French oak barrels of various sizes.

High above the district of Perno in Monforte d'Alba lies the cru parcel Vigna Pressenda – part of the traditional MGA Castelletto, which is one of the easternmost top vineyards in Barolo. Early Piedmontese wine chroniclers already mentioned these steep slopes, which lean towards the morning sun and are characterised by a complex soil mosaic of calcareous marl, sandy inclusions and ferrous veins. The elevated position of around 370 metres and the constant breeze from the Tanaro Valley give the grapes a remarkable freshness and aromatic precision, even in warm years. The 2021 vintage, widely celebrated as an exceptional vintage in Barolo, brought ideal ripening conditions: A balanced vegetation cycle with warm, sunny days and cool nights allowed the Nebbiolo berries to ripen slowly and completely. The grapes were harvested by hand in mid-October, with strict selection to ensure that only perfectly ripe harvestwere brought to the cellar. Ageing in French oak for around 24 months brings depth and aromatic complexity without masking the clear fruit centre.

Monforte d'Alba – the name stands for depth, warmth and at the same time a taut, cool vein in the wines. The legendary Cru Ginestra lies in the centre of this high plateau, and at its heart is the single vineyard Vigna del Gris – a gently sloping plot with a south-easterly exposure at an altitude of 300 to 320 metres. The soils, a complex mixture of sand, silt and clay, provide the perfect stage for Nebbiolo, planted here in two stages: 1978 and 2000. Today, these vines produce a grape quality that is characterised by both concentration and finesse. The 2021 vintage is considered almost ideal in Barolo: a cool spring, followed by a warm, stable summer with no periods of extreme heat and a long, even ripening period into golden October. For Conterno Fantino, the manual harvest began in mid-October – the berries reached a flawless phenolic ripeness. After 12 to 15 days of fermentation and maceration in stainless steel, the wine is aged for two years in French oak, partly in barriques and partly in larger barrels. This combination gives the wine structure and complexity without masking the unmistakable signature of the vineyard.

The Vigna Ped vineyard is a project spanning generations: its oldest vines have been growing there since 1950, 32 years before Conterno Fantino was founded. Today, the children are involved in the business – Noemi and Matteo Conterno, Elisa and Fabio Fantino – meaning that the vines from 1950 are now in their second generation. All the estate’s vineyards are situated in Monforte d’Alba, where, as the estate puts it, the soil is everything. However, it was not until 2004 that the old vines produced their own wine: a Barolo from the Mosconi vineyard, south-facing and situated at an altitude of 380 to 410 metres, complemented by vines planted in 2000 and 2007.

From Ginestra, the highest point in Monforte d'Alba, you can see as far as the Alps, with Mount Monviso taking centre stage. Conterno Fantino is situated on this hill, which is home to the estate, and this is where the Sorì Ginestra is grown. Its first harvest coincided with the year the estate was founded in 1982, and it was also the first vintage of Barolo that the two founders bottled. The oldest vines on this south-facing slope, at altitudes of between 330 and 370 metres, were planted in 1971.

The Vigna Sorì Ginestra cru parcel stands proudly overlooking the rolling hills of Monforte d'Alba – one of the vineyards on which Conterno Fantino bases his entire winemaking art, true to the motto: "Il Barolo è il vino che ha fatto la nostra storia." (Barolo is the wine that made our history). The 2021 vintage, widely celebrated as one of the best of the decade, brought ideal conditions: a balanced ripening climate, cool nights paired with sun-drenched days. Hand-picking was carried out in mid-October – carefully selected, absolutely ripe. The ageing – around 24 months in French oak – was carefully chosen to anchor depth and elegance without masking the typical freshness of this unique Ginestra site.

Monprà combines equal parts Barbera and Nebbiolo from vines in Monforte d'Alba, some of which are over 50 years old, at an altitude of 300-400 metres, from sites with clayey-limestone marl soils interspersed with sandy veins. Fermentation is temperature-controlled and takes place separately for each grape variety in stainless steel, while malolactic fermentation and 18 months of ageing take place separately in French oak. Only then are the batches blended – a precise, elegant blend that combines the fullness of Barbera with the noblesse of Nebbiolo.