Giacomo Conterno - Nebbiolo d'Alba Arione 2021 (1.5L)
Vinous: 94 Points
The 2021 Nebbiolo d'Alba Vigna Arione is all class. Perfumed and silky on the palate with medium-bodied structure the 2021 embodies the virtues of elegance and class. Crushed flowers white pepper and mint play off a core of vibrant red-toned fruit. What a beautiful wine this is. As a reminder the Nebbiolo d'Alba Vigna Arione emerges from a section in Arione that is just outside the Barolo appellation. Vines here were replanted after the 2015 harvest. The Nebbiolo was vinified in wood and then spent 31 months in cask a classic Barolo élevage. - By Antonio Galloni on January 2025 Roberto Conterno has built an impressive empire in the 20 or so years that he has been fully in charge of his family?s winery. I remember the days when it was a one-man show. Back then Conterno pretty much did it all himself including answering the phone. Making great wine is hard enough but Conterno has proven to be equally skilled at the entrepreneurial side of running a business that continues to grow with the acquisition of vineyards the purchase of Nervi winery in Gattinara and peripheral businesses in glassware and automated tractors for viticulture. During my November visit much of the local buzz centered on Conterno?s Belsit in Langa restaurant the new incarnation of Ristorante Bovio which was in a sort of soft opening at the time. I did have a very good meal there but it?s too early in the restaurant?s life to be able to offer a reliable assessment. One thing that did strike me though was Conterno?s desire to champion the wines of many producers not just his own at far more accessible prices than what has become the norm at many other restaurants in the region. Hopefully that will prove to be a sustainable business model. As for the wines readers will find two magnificent vintages in 2021 and 2020. I imagine these Barolos will go neck-and-neck over the coming years and decades. The 2021s are a bit more vibrant and focused while the 2020s are a touch more open without veering into excessive opulence. Simply put Conterno has very few peers when it comes to exceptionally high quality and consistency.
vWine Advocate: 94 Points
Roberto Conterno bought this parcel in Arione in 2015 and was well aware of the character and power of its fruit. The Giacomo Conterno 2021 Nebbiolo d'Alba Vigna Arione pretty much follows the same winemaking procedures as Barolo. It spends three years in large oak cask and goes to market about four months after bottling. The first vintage produced was officially 2019 (although a special charity edition was produced in 2015) with a current production of 7000 bottles. You grasp the complexity and inner strength of Nebbiolo with lovely side notes of pressed violet licorice and white cherry. Published: Jan 30 2025
