Giacomo Conterno
Barolo DOCG
Monfortino, and the most uncompromising traditionalist in Barolo.
No deposit, no obligation. Lamont’s contacts you before the release.
The Allocation Program
- Principal variety
- Nebbiolo
Availability
Interest open
Currently sold out
Access
By allocation
For Lamont’s clients
Why we follow Giacomo Conterno
The estate
The traditionalist benchmark, based at Monforte d'Alba. Founded in the 1920s by Giacomo Conterno, the first in the family to put the family name on the bottle. His flagship Riserva, Monfortino, predates the DOC laws: it was sold simply as Monfortino, without the word Barolo on the label. The first confirmed vintage is 1924. Giovanni Conterno bought the Cascina Francia vineyard in Serralunga and immediately stopped buying grapes. Roberto Conterno runs the estate today and has expanded it carefully.
The vineyards
Around 17 hectares between Monforte and Serralunga d'Alba, Guyot-trained, up to 500 metres elevation. Francia, in Serralunga, sits on calcareous soils facing west: roughly 9 hectares of Nebbiolo plus 5 of Barbera. It was renamed from Cascina Francia to simply Francia from the 2010 Barolo owing to a change in Italian law. Cerretta, acquired in 2008, adds 2 hectares of Nebbiolo and 1 of Barbera; it is the most clay-heavy of the three and gives a lusher, more fruit-driven style. Arione, acquired in 2015, is effectively the whole cru — adjacent to Francia, limestone-based and south-facing, arguably even better exposed. In early 2018 the family bought Nervi in Gattinara: 27 hectares and the oldest cantina in the appellation, founded in 1906, with holdings in the crus Molsino and Valferana. It is bottled as Nervi Conterno.
In the glass
Uncompromisingly traditional: long maceration with a submerged cap, fermentation in large Austrian wood bins, then ageing in large botti. Roberto favours oxygenation and the slow evolution of tannin and aroma. Modern equipment is adopted only where it does the same job better, such as gentler destemming and sorting. Release timing is fixed and long: two years from harvest for the Barberas, four for the Barolos and around seven for Monfortino. Total production is roughly 62,000 bottles a year. Monfortino began as a way of showing off the best wine in the cellar, before appellation rules existed to describe it. The Arione acquisition is a neat historical loop: Conterno now owns the cru that Bruno Giacosa made famous fifty years ago, and its fruit now goes into Monfortino.
With Lamont’s
Offered through Lamont’s Allocation Program. Register your interest and we will contact you when the next allocation is confirmed.
The wines
Request individual wines, or register interest in the whole estate. We will contact you when an allocation is confirmed.
The whole Giacomo Conterno range
For collectors who would consider any available Giacomo Conterno allocation, across every tier.
Barolo
Barolo Monfortino Riserva
Released around seven years after harvest, and only in the greatest years.
Barolo Francia
Serralunga d'Alba
Barolo Cerretta
Serralunga d'Alba
Barolo Arione
Serralunga d'Alba
Also made
Barbera d'Alba Francia
Nervi Conterno Gattinara
Nothing from Giacomo Conterno is in stock at the moment.
Release and availability
How it works
- 1Choose a producer.
- 2Register your interest.There is no purchase or commitment.
- 3Lamont’s contacts you before the release.
Next expected release: To be confirmed. Timing is indicative and can move with the producer or the vintage. View the allocation calendar
Saved to your request.
You’re registered, and we’ll contact you when the next allocation is confirmed.
You’re registered for:
How allocations are offered
It records which producers and wines interest you, so we know who to contact when a release is confirmed.
Availability depends on what arrives and how many customers are waiting. In some years there is very little to go round.
Our team considers purchase history, genuine interest and intended enjoyment. We would rather a case went to someone who will open it and tell us what they thought than to whoever asked first.
Change your requests at any time from My allocation requests. Release timing moves with the producer and the vintage, so the months on the release calendar are a guide rather than a promise.
Explore the Allocation Program
See upcoming releases from Giacomo Conterno and other benchmark estates.