Aldo Conterno Barolo Granbussia Riserva 2009

This wine blew me away. The 2009 Barolo Riserva Granbussia is a proud achievement and an expression of rare beauty. This wine will be released this fall, some nine years after the harvest. Only 3,000 bottles were produced. The Granbussia narrative is one of elegance and refinement. The fruit comes from two vineyard parcels in the greater Bussia cru and was co-fermented (instead of being blended after malolactic fermentation). So much fruit was dropped during the summer growing cycle that the harvest came later than usual. This allowed for slow, even ripening and a deeper sense of aromatic complexity that you immediately identify here. The nose is redolent of wet earth and autumnal leaf with white truffle and forest berry. The wine offers extreme Nebbiolo purity with anise seed, tar and liquorice. Monica Larner