Whenever Conti’s “Colline Novaresi” bottling makes an appearance, or rather, if it makes one, a ravenous crowd of wine cognoscenti follows lockstep. It may not be their cliquish, flagship “Boca” bottling, but it is a Nebbiolo that’s just as rare and sublime for nearly half the price. So, whether you missed out on our limited Boca offer, didn’t want to shell out $68, or simply need more Conti in your life, today’s Colline Novaresi Nebbiolo is the sole answer.
These small-lot wines have a proven track record both in their youth and in the cellar for the long haul—and we put the former up to the ultimate test just last week. We blind-tasted a famous Barolo winemaker ($100+ wines) on today’s 2017 and he was deeply impressed by the purity of fruit and the accentuation of vivid minerality in the glass. This is what you get when you combine the peerless skill of the Conti sisters in a truly historic terroir such as Alto Piemonte. Previously Italy’s epicenter for Nebbiolo production, the “Alto Piemonte,” of which includes Colline Novaresi and Boca, had become largely abandoned. But a few steadfast winemakers dug in their heels and today the region is riding out a wildly explosive renaissance. So, just as you would with Conti’s top-tier Boca, take what you can and enjoy this just-as-rare, just-as-pleasurable Nebbiolo stunner over the next decade. Only a couple of hundred cases produced for the globe.
[NOTE: This is only available as a pre-offer and will be arriving at our warehouse in two weeks’ time.]
Homebase for the Conti sisters, the village of Boca is one of the smallest wine appellations in Italy, made up of only a handful of hectares (at one point in the ‘90s, only 10 hectares of vineyards remained!). Like Barolo 90 minutes to the south, Nebbiolo (aka Spanna in alto Piemonte) reigns supreme. Today’s Colline Novaresi, however, is a slightly larger appellation that touches the southern border of Boca, and the soils in this hillside appellation are mostly loam with silt and clay. In other words: Spanna thrives here! The sisters, Elena and Paola, rely on a close family friend to supply the organic grapes for today’s wine, although they oversee the entire harvest.
The Conti sisters understand that with this inimitable terroir, years of experience perfecting organic and biodynamic practices, and a treasure trove of ancient vines, they need not fuss over the wines too much in the cellar. There is very little in the way of technology or modern gadgetry in this property’s modest cellar. This bottling, comprised of 100% Nebbiolo, is fermented on indigenous yeasts in large stainless steel vats, after which it is transferred to used oak botti of 5- and 10-hectoliter capacity. It ages about 16 months in wood before bottling and then spends an additional 7-10 months in bottle before release (fairly exceptional for a wine of this price, as is typical of this property). It’s a time-consuming process that results in some of the most expressive and beloved wine in this corner of Italy.
A bottle of Nebbiolo vinified at Conti—regardless of label—remains some of the most expressive and beloved wine in this corner of Italy. This red-fruited, silky Nebbiolo is a thing of beauty that could slip right by the doorman and into a serious Burgundy tasting without getting carded. But, pay close attention, and you’ll find that the impeccably fine tannins are long and persistent—something that Pinot Noir simply cannot achieve. Conti’s importer summarizes it nicely: “If [Conti’s] Boca is driven more by its titanic minerality, the Spanna is built on a sense of kinetic energy—a wine of lift and drive rather than power. Fruits here are pitched higher and complemented by a more vertically oriented layering of spices.” Fueled by an avalanche of glacial minerality, the core of this 2017 reverberates across your palate, leaving supple shockwaves of redcurrant, red plum, bright red cherry, black raspberry. That vivid yet equally regal and raw power in each sip is what will sustain it for another decade-plus of cellar evolution. That said, the wine is already in perfect form for youthful drinking. If enjoying in the next few years, please decant for 30 minutes and serve in large Burgundy stems. Cheers!
