Poderi Aldo Conterno farms Bussia, one of Barolo's top crus in Monforte d'Alba, and the estate exists only because two brothers stopped agreeing on how long a Nebbiolo should sit in cask.
The 1969 split
Giovanni and Aldo Conterno inherited their father Giacomo's winery in 1961 and ran it together until their views on winemaking pulled too far apart. In 1969 they divided the business: Giovanni kept the Giacomo Conterno name and moved operations to Serralunga d'Alba, continuing the family's long-macerated, decades-in-large-cask style built around Monfortino. Aldo stayed in Bussia and founded his own estate, softening the approach slightly, with shorter fermentations and still large Slavonian oak rather than barrique, giving wines that opened sooner without losing structure. The two houses have been entirely separate businesses ever since, run by different branches of the same family.
The wines today
Aldo died in 2012 and his sons Franco, Stefano and Giacomo now run the estate. The three single Bussia crus, Cicala, Colonnello and Romirasco, are bottled alone in most years and blended into Granbussia, the estate's Barolo Riserva, only when a vintage earns it. Barbera and a barrel-aged Bianco round out a range built entirely on estate fruit from Monforte d'Alba.
FAQ
Is Aldo Conterno the same producer as Giacomo Conterno?
No, and the two are commonly confused. They share a family name and a common ancestor, but have been separate wineries with separate cellars since the 1969 split.
What is Granbussia?
The estate's Barolo Riserva, blended from the Cicala, Colonnello and Romirasco crus. It is made only in vintages the family considers strong enough, so it does not appear every year.
Where are the vineyards?
All within Bussia, in the commune of Monforte d'Alba, part of the Barolo DOCG in Piedmont.