Diego Conterno, Barolo, 'Del Comune di Monforte d'Alba'

If there is a grape that can rival Pinot Noir for emotional impact, intellectual depth, and sheer beauty in the glass, it is Nebbiolo. For many of the world’s top sommeliers, it is the greatest grape in the world—capable of marrying haunting perfume with commanding structure, and elegance with gravitas. Few vintages express that duality more clearly than 2019, widely considered one of the finest Barolo vintages of the last 20 years. Powerful yet precise, the wines of 2019 show Nebbiolo at full throttle, and there is no better place to witness that greatness than Monforte d’Alba, perched high on the hills and visually dominating the Barolo landscape—long regarded as one of the region’s most structured, age-worthy, and impactful communes, where Nebbiolo reveals itself slowly, patiently, and endlessly. It is here that Diego Conterno quietly makes wines that perfectly exemplify the local terroir and are widely adored.

Barolo is one of the most beautiful and historically important wine regions in the world. Green, rolling hills stretch as far as the eye can see, entirely carpeted with vines, their contours shaped by centuries of human labor and deep geological time. As you look across the landscape, every so often a small village appears—often perched at the top of a hillside—each representing one of Barolo’s great communes, distinct in both terroir and personality. The region’s soils—ancient marine marls rich in limestone, clay, and sandstone—form the backbone of Barolo’s power and longevity. The major villages of La Morra, Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Monforte d’Alba, and Serralunga d’Alba each express Nebbiolo differently, driven by subtle shifts in soil composition, elevation, and exposure. Steep slopes and prized south- and southeast-facing crus capture optimal sunlight, allowing Nebbiolo to reach full phenolic ripeness while retaining freshness and tension. While La Morra and Barolo often produce more immediately aromatic, supple wines, the eastern ridge of the appellation—Monforte and Serralunga—gives rise to Barolos of greater density, structure, and longevity. These two communes are the source of many of Barolo’s most long-lived, architecturally built wines, revered for their ability to evolve gracefully over decades.

Diego Conterno is a quintessential Monforte producer, crafting Barolo that reflects the village’s seriousness without sacrificing clarity or precision. Trained at the Alba enological school, Diego began his career working with Beppe Colla at Prunotto before co-founding Conterno-Fantino in the early 1980s, helping shape a new era of Barolo. In 2000, he chose to pursue a more personal vision, establishing Azienda Agricola Diego Conterno and bringing with him prized vineyard holdings in Monforte, including parcels in and around the famed Ginestra area. Today, Diego works alongside his son Stefano, farming their vineyards organically and focusing on traditionally inspired winemaking—long macerations, indigenous fermentations, and aging in large neutral oak botti—allowing site and vintage to speak without cosmetic polish. The result is a traditional representation of classic Barolo, built to stand the test of time.

The 2019 Barolo del Comune di Monforte d’Alba is a textbook expression of both the vintage and the village. In the glass, after enough air, it shows a classic translucent garnet hue with faint brick at the rim. Aromas of dried cherry, rose petal, blood orange, licorice, leather, tobacco, dried herbs, and crushed stone unfold gradually. On the palate, it is firm yet poised, layered with red fruit and savory depth, carried by finely grained tannins into a long, resonant finish. This wine is just getting started. Plan on a minimum 90-minute decant if drinking now, or consider opening and double-decanting (decant, clean the bottle, and pour the wine back in before recorking) the day before for maximum expression. While compelling today if properly decanted, it will continue to gain complexity and harmony over time, peaking around 10–15 years of age and holding well beyond—so drink some and hold some.

This wine will truly shine with food, and you would rarely see a local drinking a wine like this on its own. For the table, look to Piedmont: tajarin with butter and white truffle, brasato al Barolo, slow-braised veal shank, rabbit with rosemary, or slow-braised Piemontese beef. Porcini risotto, mushroom tagliatelle, and earthy lentil dishes are natural matches, as are aged cheeses like Castelmagno or well-matured Parmigiano-Reggiano. This is Barolo made for long meals, deep flavors, and patience.