Diego Conterno
Diego Conterno - The Pioneer from Monforte
In the world of Barolo from the village of Monforte d'Alba there are many winemaking families with the name Conterno. And it is sometimes difficult to distinguish them.
Diego Conterno was once part of the famous Conterno Fantino, which produces excellent, if distinctly modern, wines in Monforte d'Alba. After many years as a partner in the winery, Diego decided to look for a new challenge. So in 2000, he sold his share of the company, took over his vines, including the prized Ginestra plot, and started all over again. The entry of his son Stefano into the company in 2010 was a milestone in the development of this small winery. You immediately began to work biologically and produced Barolo in the classic style on their excellent plots in Monforte d'Alba.
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Father and son team
Diego bottled his first vintage in 2003 with just over 1300 bottles of Barolo (Ginestra). Today the team of father and son cultivates 7.5 hectares of vineyards, of which 2 hectares are in the “Grand Cru” vineyard of Ginestra, whose “Sori” heart (full south) faces due south and was planted in 1982. The remaining 5 .5 hectares are spread over Nebbiolo from the Barolo vineyards of San Pietro, Pajana and Gri (gray in Piedmontese dialect, which refers to the fine gray marl soil). They also have exquisite vineyards of Nebbiolo d'Alba, Barbera, Dolcetto and Nascetta.
Traditional and organic
Diego and Stefano work in their winery on the outskirts of the town of Monforte d'Alba, which overlooks several of their vineyards, and use excellent farming techniques and traditional methods for their wines. In the vineyards they work organically and entirely by hand, caring for each plot carefully and methodically. In addition, they make a very strict selection when harvesting, selecting only the best fruits from each of their plots. Fermentation is long and slow, and cement and increasingly botte grande (large barrels) are preferred for aging the Nebbiolo. Taking advantage of their exquisite terroirs, Diego and Stefano craft stunning wines that embody the best elements of Monforte d'Alba: structure, texture, minerality and longevity. Perhaps best of all, in a world where prices for premium Barolo are constantly rising, Diego Conterno's wines remain very competitively priced. These are stunning wines that shouldn't be missed! All vines are cultivated organically.
Wine as passion and art
For Diego Conterno, wine is passion, interpretation and art. It reflects the identity of a terroir: in this case the Langhe of Monforte d'Alba. Diego has been looking at vineyards, grapes and wine from this perspective for over 30 years.
Crucially, Diego Conterno’s wines “combine the energy and power of Monforte with the transparency of traditionally inspired winemaking,” says Antonio Galloni. The wines are rich and strong and yet absolutely gentle in scent and taste. They are produced naturally, fermented on native yeasts in neutral cement tanks and aged in traditional large oak barrels (botti).