Wine guide
Producers
Conterno Fantino
Hailing from a region that is internationally famous for its food and wine, Conterno Fantino is one of the best things to have ever come out of Piedmont. Founded in 1982 by the sons of two Piedmont wine dynasties, Conterno Fantino is a story of great friendship, modern winemaking and heritage background.
Two friends, one vision
Claudio Conterno and Guido Fantino began making a name for themselves and their winery in the mid-1980s. They made the unprecedented decision to age their Barolo in French oak barrels and go through a shorter maceration and fermentation process for the grapes. They found that by doing this their wine had far more body and flavour than before. In one move, they put their names on the map. Today they have 27 hectares of vineyard, where they grow four grape varietals: their famous Barbera of course but also Nebbiolo, Dolcetto and Chardonnay.
A taste of Piedmont
The duo started by making just one wine - a Barolo that went by the name of Ginestra, named after the south-facing slopes where it is grown. They quite literally grew their holdings in 1989 when they added plots from Brico Bastia, the same plot where the new winery stands today. Bit by bit, they increased their terroirs, all the keeping their vision of producing simple, outstanding wine. And they succeeded - largely due to their devotion to excellence. Conterno Fantino takes their quality very seriously - farming has been organic since 1996 and all grapes are picked by hand. The vineyards are managed by Claudio himself and under his careful guidance, he has shown us that good quality wine truly begins at home. All their wines are multi-layered and multi-dimensional and capture the unique Piedmont personality of this producer.
The next generation
Winemaking is in the Conterno Fantino DNA. These days, the estate is run by a clan of Conternos and Fantinos and assures the next winemaking generation. Their passion for wine is infectious and the intellectual rigour the families bring to both the vineyards and the cellar has only increased the already high quality of the wines.
Notable facts and vintages
  • Claudio is very highly regarded among those in the know - he is president of Cuneo’s branch of the CIA (Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori) and considered as one of the most modernist producers of Barolo.
  • Conterno Fantino’s Barolo Castelletto Vigna Pressenda 2017 scored an admirable 94 points on aggregate scoring. With a cellaring ability of around 15 years, this is a wine that will age beautifully.
  • Once considered “Les enfants terribles” of the area, Conterno Fantino’s innovative approach to winemaking has redefined the Piedmont wine region.
  • The Sori Ginestra 2016 scored a phenomenal 98 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. Critics called this wine “powerful and determined” while at the same time being “soft and rich”. The extra long drinking window won’t open until at least 2026, so investors will need to be patient.