According to Antonio Galloni of Vinous, "The 2010 vintage in Barolo is shaping up to be a modern-day classic. The cool growing season produced transparent, vibrant Barolos that pulsate with tension, crystalline purity and site-specific nuance."

With this in mind, I am very pleased to offer you a selection of wines from one of the most sought after Barolo's producers, Aldo Conterno. 

To place an order please email Jon Ellison at  jonellison@marquis-wines.com.

2011 Langhe Nebbiolo "Il Favot" DOC - $100.00 (27 bottles available)

"Clear, bright ruby in colour. This wine has a fresh and lively fruit character with elegant, lifted aromas. The palate is clean and vibrant with a fine minerality that continues through to a long finish. An excellent pairing with rich red meat; enjoy now through to 2018."

- Winemaker's notes

2010 Barolo "Bussia" DOCG - $125.00 (33 bottles available)

"The 2010 Barolo Bussia is gorgeous and super-classic in every way. Dark red cherry, plum, spice, new leather and tobacco are some of the many notes that take shape in the glass. The 2010 is a beautiful version of the Bussia, with less of the approachability of some previous vintages, but tons of potential for the future. There is a lot to look forward to here. This is one of the best versions of the Bussia I can remember tasting. The 2010 stands out for its precision and crystalline purity. Readers looking for a great 2010 Barolo that won't kill the budget should check out the 2010 Bussia."

- Vinous, January 2014     93+ points

2010 Barolo "Colonnello" DOCG - $200.00 (12 bottles available)

"The most open of the 2010s, the 2010 Colonnello has a wonderful immediacy to it. Dark cherry, plum, cloves, new leather, menthol and a hint of oak. Firm yet well-integrated tannins provide the backbone for a core of explosive fruit in this racy, extroverted wine. The Colonnello marries the round, supple personality of this site with the classic sense of structure and tannin of the year. If I were going to open any of Conterno's 2010s before age ten it would be the Colonnello, but even then I would try to hold off. Quite simply, this is one of the very best Colonnellos in recent memory."

- Vinous, January 2014     95 points

2010 Barolo "Romirasco" DOCG - $290.00 (3 bottles available)

"The 2010 Barolo Romirasco stands out for its pure texture and balance. Today the 2010 is a bit compact, but that is not at all surprising given its underlying structure and very recent bottling. Those two factors considered, the 2010 Romirasco is a wine with tremendous future. The style is a little more sensual and less severe than the Cicala, with generally softer contours, all which should give it a slight upper hand in terms of accessibility."

- Vinous, January 2014     96+ points

2006 Barolo "Granbussia" Riserva DOCG - $650.00 (6 bottles available)

"Dried roses, savory herbs, leather, anise and tobacco are some of the many notes that emerge from the 2006 Barolo Riserva Granbussia. Firm, austere yet gorgeous, the 2006 is going to require quite a bit of time to fully come together. There is an inner sweetness in the fruit and aromatics that recalls the Romirasco, while the perception of structure and acidity are those of Cicala. Dried flowers, spices and mint add the final notes of complexity. Patience will be key. The 2006 spent 60 days on the skins, followed by 44 months in cask."

- Vinous, January 2014     96 points

About 

In the 19th Century, after attempting emigration to Argentina, Giovanni Conterno returned home with his family back to his father Giuseppe's small winemaking farm in Monforte d'Alba. With his return to the business, Conterno increased the production of wine, sold in casks not only in Piemonte and Liguria but also as far as America. In response to market demand, the Conternos then undertook to create a superior Barolo, to be produced exclusively from the best vintages, with a long vinification period and capable of lasting over time. 

In the 1920s the first Barolo riserva was bottled. At the end of the 1930's, his son Giacomo took over and continued his father's tradition with commitment and foresight, visiting his clients in person and taking advantage of the prestige which Barolo was gathering to establish his own label in many regions of Italy. During these years, his sons Giovanni and Aldo began to assist and follow their father in running the business. In the mid-'50s Aldo decided to set out for America, with the ambition of creating a vine-growing and winemaking business with the help of an uncle who lived in California.

In 1969, after his return to Italy, Aldo Conterno parted ways with his brother Giacomo in a dispute over wine making methods. Left on his own at age 38 to start from scratch, he founded Poderi Aldo Conterno and set out to create Barolos that soon attained cult status.

- www.trialto.com