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Poderi Aldo Conterno

In the heart of Monforte d'Alba, in the prestigious Barolo zone, lies the cru "Bussia"—a vineyard known by many, but understood like no other by the family of Aldo Conterno, who have cultivated various parts of it for generations. Here, it’s Bussia and only Bussia that lies at the core, and the estate "FAVOT," located in the center of the vineyard, feels more like a historical palace—with its own chapel and deep, deep cellars—than a winery. It could well be its own little kingdom. The family has been making wine here since 1969. But the Conterno family's history goes back much further, having been among the region's first winegrowers since the early 19th century—always rooted in Monforte.

A Personal Vision

"Poderi Aldo Conterno" was founded in 1969 by Aldo himself, after he parted ways with the joint family project alongside his brother at the renowned Giacomo Conterno estate. Aldo had a clear vision of how he wanted to make wine—by combining the classic Barolo style with a more modern approach to vinification, without losing the soul of the region. The first estate-owned parcels, which are still harvested today, were planted in the 1970s, and it wasn’t until 1991 that the winery released what they considered their first “serious” vintage.

From there, the vision has only continued to evolve year by year. Today, the winery is run by Aldo’s three sons – Franco, Stefano, and Giacomo – who carry forward their father’s philosophy with deep respect for the terroir and the natural expression of the grapes.

An Ode to Bussia

The vineyards lie in some of the most sought-after parcels in Barolo’s Bussia cru, and all work—both in the fields and in the cellar—is done by hand with meticulous precision.

The family’s ode to Monforte and Bussia continues to thrive today under the guidance of Aldo’s sons: Giacomo, Franco, and Stefano. The sense of history is palpable here. Aldo Conterno has become synonymous with powerful yet elegant Barolo wines rooted in tradition and an uncompromising commitment to quality.

The production is small — very small, in fact, considering the size of the estate. And that is entirely intentional. As Giacomo described during our visit, the philosophy is: “produce less, improve more.” There is no ambition to exploit the estate’s full quantitative potential—a stubborn decision, perhaps, but undeniably a privilege when considering the extraordinary capacity of the underground cellars. If you ever get the chance to step inside, we promise you’ll discover one of the most beautiful and impressive wineries—and cellars—in the entire Barolo zone. If not the most. We’ve seen much in Barolo, but this place stands in a league of its own.

It is undeniably rare to taste the fruit of the same vineyard expressed in seven different wines across three grape varieties. But that is exactly what you find at Aldo Conterno. And yes, it can be a bit confusing—something we’ll do our best to clarify below.

The Famous Parcels

What defines Aldo Conterno’s wines is their balance between structure and finesse. These Barolos are deep, complex, and built for aging—yet never inaccessible in their youth. Especially the more recent vintages have become notably more approachable and exciting to taste right from release. Still, there’s no doubt: the aging potential remains vast.

The cuvées Cicala, Colonnello, and Romirasco are all single-vineyard wines located within the Bussia cru. These are small, individual parcels which—historically (before Bussia was unified as one cru)—have always been vinified separately and are still today considered benchmark wines for the area.

Though they all come from the same hill in Bussia (specifically the Soprana section), each has its own personality and highly distinctive traits, making them unique interpretations of Barolo.

Stylistically, they sit between the traditional and the modern—concentrated, yet never over-extracted. From our experience, they have only become more elegant with time.

You might think: can three wines from the same vineyard, separated by just a few meters, really taste so different? The answer is a resounding yes!

In addition, the estate produces other wines as well. We’ll explore all of them in more detail below.

Understand the different wines

Il Favot – Langhe Nebbiolo
Aldo Conterno produces a truly outstanding Langhe Nebbiolo that surprises with its elegance and stands out stylistically from the estate’s other wines. Bearing the same name as the estate—Il Favot—it presents itself in a hyper-elegant style with a beautifully clear ruby-red color. Its energy is centered on pure, crunchy red fruit.

Barbera d'Alba – Next is a very elegant Barbera d'Alba, again with an emphasis on fruit. It offers a full symphony of berries, all in perfect balance.

Cicala is the most structured and classically “masculine” of the three. It is powerful, intense, and often closed in its youth. It demands time and patience but rewards with great depth, firm tannins, and long aging potential. It’s perhaps the best representative of Barolo’s reputation for robustness and age-worthiness. Expect classic Nebbiolo notes of earth, leather, aged balsamic, dark berries, and fresh herbs. Its structure is linked to its dense, limestone-rich soil with high clay content.

Colonnello is the most open and accessible of the three when young. It has a softer tannin structure and a more aromatic profile, marked especially by florality. Though still complex and age-worthy, it's often the wine that shows its charm first. Expect a bouquet of fresh violets and roses, alongside dried potpourri, red berries, herbs, and sweet tobacco. Its elegance is enhanced by its sandier, well-drained soil.

Romirasco is often regarded as Aldo Conterno’s most complete wine—some say it could have stood alone as Gran Bussia. It combines Cicala’s power with Colonnello’s elegance, offering exceptional balance. Deep, concentrated, and long-lived, yet more approachable than Cicala in its early years. Romirasco is one of the oldest registered vineyard sites in Barolo, known for its outstanding quality. It offers a broad symphony of cherry, blackberry, leather, truffle, tobacco, and violets—layered and ever-evolving in the glass.

Granbussia is the crown jewel of Aldo Conterno’s portfolio—a Barolo Riserva aged for nine full years before release. Only made in the best vintages, it is not a single-vineyard wine but a special cuvée of the finest barrels from Romirasco, Cicala, and Colonnello.

This is a true powerhouse refined to perfection—an ultimate expression of the Bussia terroir. Deeply complex, powerful, and precise, yet serene and finessed thanks to age and balance. Silky tannins and aristocratic elegance define it. On the palate: fresh and dried cherries, forest floor, damp autumn leaves, wild herbs, mushrooms (morels, champignons), and white truffles from Piedmont—all lifted by bright acidity and firm structure. A must-experience for any Barolo enthusiast.