Aldo Conterno

Aldo Conterno (1931 – May 30, 2012) was an Italian winemaker of eponymous wine producer Poderi Aldo Conterno from the Piemonte region in the district of Langhe, chiefly producing Barolo wines. The winery is located in Monforte d'Alba, and Conterno was widely ranked among Piemonte's foremost producers.

History Aldo Conterno was born in 1931, the second son of Giacomo Conterno. In 1954, Aldo left Italy and joined two uncles who lived in San Francisco with a view to start a winery in Napa Valley. However, soon after his arrival to the United States he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served for two years in Korea, leaving with an honorable discharge and the rank of Specialist. Conterno returned to Italy after having spent near five years away.

Aldo Conterno has been described as Piemonte's most talented winemaker, and his wines have frequently been ranked among finest of the region, often with the emphasis on the balance. British wine publication Decanter rated Poderi Aldo Conterno among Italy's shortlist of Second Growths. The vineyards are now managed using organic methodology. Conterno died in Monforte d'Alba on May 30, 2012, aged 81.

Winemaking practices and style Among Barolo aficionados the wines of Aldo Conterno have earned a reputation for being "modernist" but with a blend of traditional Barolo winemaking practices. Like many traditional Barolo makers, Conterno favored long aging of his wines prior to their release to the public. For his Riserva Gran Bussia, the wine would typically be aged 3 years in large Slavonian oak casks followed by two years in stainless steel and another year in bottle prior to release. Unlike many modernist Barolo winemakers, Conterno did not use many small oak barriques however he did adapt to the modernist method of shortening the maceration time during fermentation and pressing the skins earlier than many traditional Barolo producers. These mixture of practices tended to create wines that are often described in wine literature as "powerfully structured" like many traditional producers but with a "depth of fruit" that is often described of modernist Barolo wines.

Production Poderi Aldo Conterno owns around of vineyard land in Bussia Soprana, about 400 meters above sea level. Wines are produced in the Denominazione di origine controllata zones of Barolo, Barbera d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba and Langhe. Around 600 cases are produced only in vintages where all three component vineyards are considered by the winery to have grown outstanding fruit. The vineyard was purchased in 1980 by the estate, having previously only rented the land. Around are owned by the estate, producing around 800 cases per vintage, with Aldo Conterno stating "Cicala contains less sand and more clay than his other vineyards and tends to make more powerful wines". Barolo Colonnello A 1 hectare vineyard with vines aged an average 35–40 years old, the wine is aged in Slavonian oak for up to 28 months.

Quartetto A blend of 40% Nebbiolo grapes with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Barbera.

Bussiador A Chardonnay, aged in barrique for 6 to 8 months.

Printanié A Chardonnay, aged in stainless steel for 5 to 6 months.

Bussianella A sparkling wine produced from a grape indigenous to Piedmont, Freisa.