Giacomo Conterno, Barolo DOCG, Francia

About Giacomo Conterno

From unclear descriptions of its origin, the Cantine Giacomo Conterno production of Barolo may have begun in 1908 with the founding of Giovanni Conterno's tavern in San Giuseppe near Monforte d'Alba, or after his son, Giacomo Conterno returned from service in World War I, with the first Barolo riserva either bottled in 1912 or 1920. Notwithstanding, Conterno coming from a family with viticultural roots in the region going back to the 18th century,] is considered one of the first small Barolo producers to bottle their own wine. Giovanni Conterno died in 1934 and Giacomo Conterno created a Barolo with vast aging potential, named Monfortino for the home village Monforte d Alba. For 54 years two Barolos, a normale and riserva, were produced from purchased grapes, made by the motto that a Barolo at the time of bottling should be 'undrinkable', though be a great bottle after twenty, thirty, forty years. The first vintage of wine made from its own vineyard was 1978, though the name Cascina Francia did not appear on the label of the normal until the 1980 vintage. The Nebbiolo and Barbera grapes come from the 16-hectare (40-acre) vineyard Cascina Francia in Serralunga d'Alba, entirely owned by the Giacomo Conterno estate. While the Barolo Riserva Monfortino is only produced in exceptional years. The wine macerates on its skins for up to five weeks with no temperature control regardless of how high the fermentation temperatures may go and is aged 7 years in bottles.