2020 Aldo Conterno Nebbiolo Il Favot Langhe Piedmont 750 ml

The wine world calls Bussia one of the greatest vineyards in Italy. The Conterno family calls it home.

Il Favot, the estate where the Conterno family lives and works, is located smack-dab in the middle of Bussia. This treasured Barolo terroir features hillsides of sandy soil swirled with calcareous marls that produce wines of elegance, restraint, and fantastic aromatic definition. 

When Bussia’s Nebbiolo vines hit middle age, they go into Conterno’s revered Barolos, like the $97 Bussia and ultra-prestigious $600+ Granbussia. But in their youth—no older than 15 years—the vines that produce those collectibles go into Il Favot.

The best way to think of Il Favot is as Conterno Barolo, but geared toward earlier drinking. The Nebbiolo is given a shorter maceration (about a week) to extract plenty of color but less tannin. The result, after aging in new barriques, is a youthful expression of Bussia’s famed richness that’s just begging to be opened right now.

The estate’s founder, Aldo Conterno, left the family winery—Giacomo Conterno, run by his brother—in 1969 due to stylistic differences. While still working very much in a traditional vein, Aldo wanted the freedom to experiment with shorter macerations and aging times, and using French barriques for wines like Il Favot.

Aldo, known universally as one of the great winemakers of his time and nicknamed “The King of Barolo,” passed away in 2012. His three sons run the estate today, and they’ve changed little about the methods and farming practices their father used. Conterno remains one of the absolute icons of the region, and this lithe, lively Nebbiolo is one of the best ways to appreciate Monforte d’Alba glory at a bargain price.