When Diego Conterno left his family’s eponymous, and highly awarded, winery to strike out on his own he had a clear purpose in mind: Rather than amp up the inherent power of Monforte d’Alba (as he’d done at Conterno-Fantino) he wanted to use gentle, old school winemaking to add balance and elegance to Nebbiolo grown in this commune of the Barolo zone. This Langhe Nebbiolo is proof positive of his smashing success in achieving this goal–elegant, fresh, and deliciously drinkable Nebbiolo with just the right hint of power and pedigree lurking in the background. We're squarely in a golden age of Langhe Nebbiolo, and “Baluma” is hands down among the best of the best.

Hand harvested Nebbiolo grapes are fully de-stemmed and aged with indigenous yeasts in steel tanks. After a gentle fermentation and short maceration the wine is then aged in neutral 500 liter barrels for five months, and spends an additional four months in cement tanks before bottling. This is very much a “drink me now” Nebbiolo–fresh, floral, and lovely. However it has sneaky complexity and just the right amount of tannic grip to allow for a bit of aging should you choose.

“Baluma” is a local term that means “let’s dance!” and this elegant, ephemeral take on Nebbiolo is ready to do just that. Serve it cool in a Burgundy stem and you’ll get a rush of fruit–sweet cherries, raspberries, currants–wildflowers, rose petals, orange peel, fennel seed, baking spice, and damp earth. The palate is silky and suave, with ripe tannins and snappy acidity, and a lip-smacking quality that keeps you dancing and twirling back for more.