Conterno’s 1989 Barolo Riserva Granbussia is darker in color and fresher than the 1990. Sweet mentholated, balsamic aromatics meld gracefully into an expressive, layered core of dark fruit. The 1989 is a big, expansive Granbussia that takes time to reveal its qualities in full, but it is a remarkable wine for the integrity of its fruit, the finesse of its tannins and its sumptuous overall balance. It remains a benchmark wine for Conterno and the appellation. Curiously, two bottles I tasted at the estate were more forward than several I have had in the US recently. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2024.
These two fabulous Barolos from Aldo Conterno reflect a highly successful period in the estate’s history. The winery, formally known as Poderi Aldo Conterno, traces its history back to 1969 when brothers Aldo and Giovanni Conterno divided their family’s estate in Monforte. Each of the two brothers kept a portion of wines then in bottle, demijohn or cask, which explains the existence of pre-1969 Aldo Conterno bottles. Aldo Conterno has an unusual background for a Piedmontese winemaker of his generation because he lived in the US for a few years in the 1950s. After the passing of his American uncle, Conterno actually spent two years in the US military. Upon his return he most certainly was a changed person. Aldo’s vision had been to make a more accessible style of Barolo than that his family made at the time at their estate (Giacomo Conterno). Aldo’s top Barolo, Granbussia, is a blend of three vineyards; 70% Romirasco, 15% Colonello, 15% Cicala, and is only made in top vintages that present perfect growing conditions in all three sites. The component wines are fermented separately in steel, then aged in cask for three years, prior to being moved into steel for a further two years before bottling. To the best of my knowledge, no other winery leaves their Barolos so long in steel prior to bottling, but Aldo Conterno believes steel helps him keep the wine fresh, much as the demijohn did in a previous era.
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