About this winery

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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Product notes

The CRU vineyards are located in Bussia of Monforte d’Alba and the Chardonnay grapes used to make Bussiador come from various old growth vineyards. A true expression of Langa Terroir, soils are composed of limestone, layers of sand and clayey-calcareous, rich with calcium carbonate and iron. The vineyard is positioned 350 - 400 m. above sea level with South & South/West aspects. Hand harvest occurs in the first 10 days of September and is done exclusively by hand with a very careful fruit selection.

Production notes

The wine spends only 3-4 days in stainless steel. Once fermentation begins it is transferred to oak casks to complete the fermentation process at a closely controlled range of temperatures from 20̊ to 24̊ C. Once fermentation is complete, the wine is decanted for refining then returned to barrels to age for an additional few months.

Tasting notes

Oft called “the Gold of Bussia”, you’ll first note the beautiful golden colour. The bouquet is exotic white flowers with quince, blood orange, lime and lemongrass along with clove, white pepper, and a distinct chalkiness. The mouthfeel is creamy and intense; succulent peach and melon are enhanced by honeyed notes, along with vanilla and caramel imparted by the oak barriques. Smooth with firm backbone, this wine shows elegant balance through the long finish.