Barolo · Winery · Curated profile
Diego Conterno
Diego Conterno is a small, family-run Barolo estate on a hillside just outside the village of Monforte d'Alba, looking across its own vineyards and sitting just upslope from the Giacomo Conterno holdings (no relation). The Conterno family has worked vines in the Ginestra cru for well over a century, and Diego trained under Beppe Colla at Prunotto before co-founding Conterno-Fantino with his cousin Claudio and Guido Fantino in 1982.
After almost two decades making the polished, modern-style wines Conterno-Fantino is known for, Diego wanted a more classical, transparent expression of Nebbiolo. In 2000 he sold his share and took his family plots with him, including just over two hectares in the Sorì, the fully south-facing heart of Ginestra planted in 1982. His first vintage under his own name was 2003, a tiny run of around 1,300 bottles of Barolo Ginestra. His son Stefano, a trained surveyor, joined in 2010 and now shares the vineyard and cellar work and handles sales.
Today father and son farm about 7.5 hectares in Monforte d'Alba: Ginestra, Pajana and Ciabot within the larger Ginestra slope, Bricco San Pietro, San Giovanni and Le Coste for Barolo, and Ferrione and Bricco Monguglielmo, just below the winery and outside the Barolo zone, for Nascetta, Dolcetto, Barbera and Langhe Nebbiolo. The vineyards have been farmed organically since 2010 and certified since 2014.
The approach is traditional: hand harvesting, fermentation on indigenous yeasts, long ageing of the Barolos in large Stockinger casks followed by a rest in cement, and very little added sulphur. The range runs from a bright Langhe Nascetta, made from the Langhe's near-forgotten native white grape, through Dolcetto, Barbera Ferrione and the Baluma Nebbiolo to four Barolos: the classic blend, the Comune di Monforte d'Alba, the high and cool Le Coste di Monforte and the flagship Ginestra. Critics such as Antonio Galloni have praised the way the wines pair Monforte's power with a lighter, more traditional touch.
At a glance
- Region
- Barolo, Piemonte, Italy
- Address
- Via Montà 27, 12065 Monforte d'Alba (CN), Italy
- Winemaker
- Diego Conterno and Stefano Conterno
- Tours
- Available
- Tastings
- Available
- Wines listed
- 8
- Website
- https://www.diegoconterno.it
Visits & tastings
Visits and tastings: Diego Conterno is a small family winery, so visits are by appointment only and are usually hosted personally by Diego or his son Stefano. A visit typically covers the cellar, with its large oak casks and cement tanks, and a tasting of the current releases, from the Langhe Nascetta and the Alba reds through to the Barolos. The winery does not publish fixed tasting packages or prices; ask when booking. Visitors consistently describe the welcome as warm and personal.
Booking: contact the winery in advance by email or phone and give your preferred date, time, group size and language. Book well ahead in harvest season (September to October) and around the Alba truffle fair.
Getting there: the winery sits on the hill on the edge of Monforte d'Alba, a few minutes by car from the village centre. There is no restaurant on site, so plan lunch or dinner in Monforte or nearby.
Contact: Azienda Agricola Diego Conterno Via Montà 27, 12065 Monforte d'Alba (CN), Italy Phone: +39 0173 789265 Mobile: +39 339 8382544 Email: info@diegoconterno.it Web: www.diegoconterno.it
Wines from Diego Conterno
- Baluma: Langhe Nebbiolo DOC, Nebbiolo, Red. A fresh, rose-scented Langhe Nebbiolo for early enjoyment. "Baluma" means "let's dance" in Piedmontese dialect. Earlier vintages were labelled Nebbiolo d'Alba.
- Barolo: Barolo DOCG, Nebbiolo, Red. The estate's classic Barolo, a blend of San Giovanni, Bricco San Pietro and Ginestra in Monforte d'Alba. Elegant and old-school, aged in large casks and cement.
- Barolo del Comune di Monforte d'Alba: Barolo DOCG, Nebbiolo, Red. A village Barolo under the "Comune di" designation, which requires at least 85% of the grapes to come from one commune. Here the fruit is from Pajana and Ciabot within the Ginestra slope. 100% Nebbiolo.
- Dolcetto d'Alba: Dolcetto d'Alba DOC, Dolcetto, Red. A juicy, versatile Dolcetto d'Alba from Bricco Monguglielmo: red and blue fruit with soft tannins, made for everyday drinking.
- Ferrione: Barbera d'Alba DOC, Barbera, Red. A Barbera d'Alba from the Ferrione vineyard beneath the winery: fresh, bright and food-friendly, with lively red fruit and vivid acidity.
- Ginestra: Barolo DOCG, Nebbiolo, Red. The flagship single-vineyard Barolo from the fully south-facing Sorì of Ginestra, Monforte d'Alba's top cru, where Diego Conterno grew up. 100% Nebbiolo, traditionally aged in large casks and cement.
- Langhe Nascetta: Langhe DOC, Nascetta, White. A dry white from Nascetta, the Langhe's rare native white grape, once made mostly as a sweet wine. Aromatic and fresh, with citrus, pineapple and herbs.
- Le Coste di Monforte: Barolo DOCG, Nebbiolo, Red. A single-vineyard Barolo from Le Coste di Monforte, a high, cool site at the far southern reach of the Barolo zone, giving a fresh, floral and spicy style of Nebbiolo.