Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
We are working with the Franco Conterno family, an iconic and historic family in Barolo. their grape growing and winemaking philosophy is based on modern technology, tradition and a respect for the environment, three ideals that we uphold in high regard.
The Franco Conterno winery, cascina sciulun, is located in the hamlet of bussia di monforte d'alba in the heart of Barolo. They take care in organically farming their land with aeration of the soil and fertilization. the vineyards are managed with great attention to detail to ensure the highest quality fruit. The elegant and refined wines are produced with native fermentations, modern equipment and traditional practices.
Franco conterno is comprised of 18 hectares of vineyards located in the Barolo crus of Bussia, Pugnane and Panerole and the Madonna di como and Roero winegrowing areas.
Even to this day, the Roero folklore lives on about witchcraft lurking behind its dramatic contours and obscure woods—but these stories only add to the region’s allure and charm. Actually today Roero winemakers are some of the most astute and motivated in Piedmont. While the white Arneis has attracted global attention for some time, now Roero Nebbiolo wines (elevated to the same DOCG status as Barolo and Barbaresco) are making a name for themselves. Keep an eye on any labeled with the vineyard, Valmaggiore, as Barolo producers have been investing here for years. If you’re looking for hidden gems, this is your region!
Yielding a dry and subtly scented wine, Arneis is the star white grape of Piedmont. Though the grape has been local to Roero since the 1400s, it didn’t experience real popularity until the 1980s when local demand for white wine exploded. Somm Secret—A few key Roero producers are also focusing on exploring the ageability of high quality Arneis. It is only grown outside of Piedmont to a very limited extent.