DECADE OLD NEBBIOLO FROM A BAROLO ICON
There are few estates in Barolo with a stronger reputation than Aldo Conterno for pumping out tiny quantities of towering and complex Nebbiolo every year for decades. Situated in Monforte d'Alba, the southeast section of Barolo, the estate's Granbussia bottling is one of the region's most expensive wines (breaching $500 per bottle) and is one of the region's most powerful and ageworthy wines. While this is very expensive for Langhe Nebbiolo, it's actually quite inexpensive for its provenance and vineyard source. The young vines from the Bussia cru are used to create Il Favot, one of the best QPR Nebbiolo's in the region every single year. You only need to take a look at its elevage to see how the family feels about this bottling. Like all of Aldo Conterno's wine, this sees 100% new French Oak. That would normally seem heavy-handed on a style like Barolo, but Conterno is the modern-day master of balancing this act between Nebbiolo's intoxicating aromatics and the spicy indulgence of new oak. This decade old example of Nebbiolo greatness is from the soft and supple 2012 vintage, and is in an exceptional window of drinking right now.