Barolo Riserva Gran Bussia
2010
Aldo Conterno was born in 1931, the second son of Giacomo Conterno; his family had been winegrowers in Piemonte for five generations. He left Italy in 1954 with the intention of establishing a winery in the Napa Valley with two uncles who lived in San Francisco. Instead he was drafted into the US Army soon after his arrival, spending two years in Korea and returning to Italy after being honorably discharged. He and his older brother Giovanni took over the Giacomo Conterno estate in 1961; in...
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Glorious aromas of roses and other flowers with blackberries and ripe plums. Spectacular. Perfection. Full-bodied, firm and chewy with polished and tight tannins. Slightly dusty. Great length and beauty. Very, very persistent on the palate. Needs another two or three years to soften, but already a classic.
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Aromas of tar, asphalt and dark berries with blackberries and blueberries. Dusty earth, too. Full-bodied, very focused and chewy with ultra fine tannins and a long and flavorful finish. So polished and gorgeous. So drinkable now, after nine years in the cellar of Aldo Conterno.
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terrific red from start to finish. The fireworks start with aromas of cherry, licorice, sandalwood and tar, augmented by intense flavors and a juicy texture. Long, complete and complex, offering beautifully integrated tannins. Drink now through 2030
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(just 300 cases produced; a 70/15/15 blend of Romirasco, Colonnello and Cicala; 65 days on the skins): Good deep red. Ripe, classic Barolo aromas of black cherry, plum, menthol and mocha, plus a hint of exotic fruits; this seems more youthful on the nose than the 2009 Barolos here. Plush and broad in the mid-palate, with penetrating acidity and savory saline minerality giving the wine extraordinary grip. The great palate-staining finish features outstanding length and an exhilarating note of orange zest. Giacomo Conterno noted that there will be a Gran Bussia bottling from 2008, 2009 and 2010 but not from 2007 or 2011, explaining that Gran Bussia 'needs a classic vintage.' This was bottled in 2011 and will be released early next year.
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