Paolo Conterno: classic Barolo from Monforte d’Alba
The winery Paolo Conternois located in Monforte d’Alba, one of the most important villages within the Barolo DOCG. The Conterno family has been connected to this area for generations and is known for Barolos with a traditional signature: Nebbiolo with structure, depth, aging in larger barrels, and a style that is excellently suited for further bottle aging.
The Barolo Riva del Bric 2021is made from 100% Nebbiolo, using the sub-varieties Michet and Lampia. The grapes come from Monforte d’Alba, where wines are generally more powerful and robust than in, for instance, La Morra. You can taste that in this wine: Riva del Bric is not a light, simple Barolo, but a serious wine with body, spice, and aging potential.
Aromas and flavors
In the glass, this Barolo has a classic garnet red color. The bouquet opens with ripe cherries, red currants, wild forest fruits, red flowers, and subtle floral notes. Subsequently, more mature aromas emerge: dried herbs, licorice, tobacco, leather, spices, and a light mineral touch. Vino.com mentions aromas of cherry, red flowers, and ripe red fruit for this wine; XtraWine describes floral and fruity notes with cherry and small wild berries.
On the palate, the wine is firm, dry, and structured. The tannins are clearly present but pair well with the ripe fruit core and the powerful style of Monforte d’Alba. The finish is long, spicy, and slightly mineral, with notes of cherry, red fruit, and a savory undertone once again. Drunk young, this wine requires aeration; with a few years of bottle aging, it will develop more softness, complexity, and tertiary aromas.
Vineyard and location
The grapes for this Barolo come from vineyards in Monforte d’Alba, in the province of Cuneo. The orientation is predominantly southern, with parts also having a southeastern exposure. This is important for Nebbiolo, a grape that ripens late and needs sufficient sun to reach phenolic maturity. The vineyards are located at approximately 300 to 350 meters above sea leveland have a slope of about 30 to 35%.
That combination of altitude, slope, and exposure gives the wine both ripeness and tension. The sun provides concentration and aromatic depth, while the altitude and ventilation help maintain freshness. This results in a Barolo with ripe fruit, firm tannins, and sufficient liveliness.
Soil, planting, and yield
The soil consists mainly of clay and limestone. This soil retains water well and is very suitable for Nebbiolo, especially in warmer and drier years. Clay contributes to body and structure, while limestone often ensures tension, length, and a mineral undertone.
The vines are on average 22 to 25 years old. An exact planting year is not specifically mentioned by the producer, but based on this age, they were generally planted in the second half of the 1990s. The planting density is approximately 4,000 vines per hectareand the yield is around 6 to 6.5 tons per hectare.
This combination of mature vines, limited yield, and clay-limestone soil gives the wine its concentrated character: rich enough to impress, but with the structure required for long aging.
The 2021 vintage
2021 is an excellent year for Barolo.The growing season produced wines with ripe fruit, fresh acidity, clear but ripe tannins, and a classic structure. Various vintage reports call 2021 a very homogeneous and strong year, in which the different villages clearly display their own character.
For the Paolo Conterno Barolo Riva del Bric, the grapes are harvested by hand in the first ten days of October. That fits well with the character of the vintage: full ripeness, good freshness, and tannins that give the wine a firm backbone.
Winemaking process
After the manual harvest, the grapes are immediately destemmed and crushed. This is followed by a maceration of about 15 to 20 daysin special tanks. During this period, color, aromas, and tannins are gradually extracted from the skins. Once the right balance between color and tannins is achieved, the wine is racked and the first transfers follow.
This method of vinification fits the classic style of Paolo Conterno: sufficient extraction for structure and aging potential, but without making the wine unnecessarily heavy or harsh. The result is a Barolo with firm tannins, but also with fruit, balance, and length.
Aging
Aging traditionally takes place in oak barrels, followed by further bottle aging. The producer describes the maturation as traditional, with aging in oak and then a period in the bottle.
The wine is aged for a period of 30 to 36 months in 35 hl French oak barrels, followed by 6 to 12 months of bottle aging. This long maturation helps to soften the tannins and give the wine more complexity, without the wood overpowering the Nebbiolo.
Aging potential and serving advice
This 2021 Barolo is still young. Those who want to drink it in the short term are best served by pouring it into a large Nebbiolo or Burgundy glass and giving it at least one to two hours to breathe. Decanting can certainly help to soften the tannins a bit and give the aromas more space.
The wine has enough structure to develop further in the coming years. Vino.com even mentions a lifespan of up to about twenty years. In the cellar, this Barolo will develop more notes of truffle, leather, dried flowers, tobacco, spices, and forest floor.
Food pairings
The Paolo Conterno Barolo Riva del Bric 2021pairs excellently with rich, savory dishes. Think of:
Brasato al Barolo
Braised beef
Entrecôte or ribeye with mushrooms
Game dishes such as deer, venison, or wild boar
Leg or rack of lamb with rosemary
Tajarin with ragù
Risotto with porcini or truffle
Aged cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano, mature pecorino, or hard mountain cheese
Short summary
The Paolo Conterno Barolo DOCG Riva del Bric 2021is a classic, powerful Barolo from Monforte d’Alba. The wine is made from 100% Nebbiolo and comes from clay and limestone-rich soils at an altitude of 300 to 350 meters. In the glass, you taste ripe cherries, red fruit, flowers, herbs, minerality, and firm yet ripe tannins. A serious Barolo from the excellent 2021 vintage, with plenty of depth, structure, and aging potential.
About Paolo Conterno:
In 1886, Paolo Conterno started his winery in the historic Ginestra Cru. Currently, the company is led by Giorgio Conterno, the fourth generation. In total, the company now has 10 hectares of vineyards in Barolo. The company later also acquired a winery in Tuscany.
