voici ce qu'en dit l'acheteur
MONICA LARNER
31st May 2018 | The Wine Advocate | Interim End of May 2018
I suspect the word “giggly” has rarely—if ever—been applied to the otherwise contemplative and reflective Roberto Conterno. He is the serious-minded genius behind Barolo Riserva Monfortino, one of Italy’s most collected wines. As of last year, Monfortino is likely Italy’s most expensive new release, with retail price points reportedly touching upon 1,200 euros per bottle. Those soaring prices sparked controversy and discussion but ultimately set a higher bar for the value of an Italian icon wine. Monfortino pricing brings Italy on par with other prestige regions in France, California and elsewhere. Over the course of his career, Roberto Conterno has meticulously built the reputation for what is the ultimate benchmark for vino italiano. He has done so with steadfast dedication, barely breaking a smile.
But on the occasion of my visit to the venerated Giacomo Conterno estate in Monforte d’Alba at the end of April, proprietor Roberto Conterno was giddy, goofy and downright giggly. Just 48 hours prior, Turin's daily newspaper La Stampa broke the news that Roberto Conterno had acquired the 27-hectare Nervi property located in the Gattinara DOCG in Alto Piemonte for an undisclosed sum. He bought a controlling 90% stake, with a remaining 10% in the hands of previous shareholder Erling Astrup from Norway. (To learn more about the Alto Piemonte wine regions, read this article I wrote last year, published in Issue 232 of The Wine Advocate.)
“I did something totally crazy,” he told me with a happy gleam in his eyes and silly merriment in his voice. “It doesn’t seem real.”
Roberto Conterno with bottles of Nervi Gattinara
I had booked my annual appointment with Roberto to taste his newest releases from Barolo. To my delight, Roberto suggested we also try the Nervi wines. The notes you see here were reported during that visit. These wines were made before Roberto’s acquisition, although he tells me that his long-standing friendship with the winemaking team at Nervi means that he has played a subtle, behind-the-scenes role for longer than most of us knew.
With roots spanning back to the 1900s, Nervi is the oldest estate in the Gattinara denomination. Measuring a mere 120 hectares, the appellation is dedicated to Nebbiolo (the same grape used in the higher profile Barolo and Barbaresco regions), with minor plantings of Vespolina and Uva Rara. Unlike the Langhe or the smaller Ghemme appellation (also in Alto Piemonte), Gattinara boasts unique volcanic soils. These conditions help to define elegant, fine and cellar-worthy expressions.
“My goal is to bring Gattinara to important new heights,” Roberto said. By my own read of the situation, I am convinced that Roberto’s brilliant move will bring about changes on three fronts. First, the little-known Gattinara appellation will benefit from this shot of adrenaline. I’m already hearing rumors that vineyard land has increased in value since the Nervi purchase was announced one month ago. Second, those of us who love Roberto’s wines—and Nebbiolo, generally speaking—will soon have new wines to add to our playlists. My hope is that a strategy of competitive pricing will bring more consumers closer to high-quality Nebbiolo. Third, Roberto’s acquisition of Nervi cements Piedmont’s powerhouse wine identity.
In short, the move gives more latitude to the Nebbiolo grape. “If you love Nebbiolo, that means you love all the areas where Nebbiolo grows,” Roberto commented.
The Nervi winery is a mere 90-minute drive from Roberto’s headquarters in Monforte d’Alba. Proximity made this acquisition more attractive than other listings in regions further afield. Roberto plans new investments to the winery and says he wants to better streamline and integrate some of the workflow. The vineyards are planted only to Nebbiolo. The product line includes a Rosato, a Gattinara and two single-vineyard expressions of Gattinara. Planted in 1992, Vigna Molsino produces profound and age-worthy wines. The Vigna Valferana is a slightly cooler site that reveals more accessible wines. “I will not change the style of these wines,” Roberto confirmed. “Instead, I hope to learn from these wines.”
Roberto said he fell in love with the beauty of Alto Piemonte. “The Nervi property has a half hectare of forest, and the Vigna Molsino sits in a little amphitheater of hills.” He also pointed out that Alto Piemonte has not suffered from drought or adverse weather conditions like other wine regions in Northern and Central Italy.
I asked Roberto what he thought the potential of Gattinara was compared to Barolo. “I’m not sure yet, but I should be able to answer that question in four or five years. What I do know is that these wines can age up to 45 years, thanks to their structure and freshness. Maybe the only thing Gattinara lacks now is confidence,” he answered.
“My goal is to elevate Gattinara to a whole new level. I feel like I didn’t just open a new door,” Roberto said with glee. “I kicked it open.”