Something funny happened two weeks ago. First, one email arrived in my inbox, from an extremely discerning collector friend with a penchant for high-tax-bracket Burgundy and Barolo. The title of the message was one word in all caps: “CONTI.” I’d just returned from visiting sisters Elena, Anna, and Paola Conti at their small castle tucked in the Italian Alps, so I was of course thrilled to share my enthusiasm for their impossibly limited reds.
But then, another “Conti” email arrived from a different client. Then a third—and, soon enough, the entire SommSelect team was besieged with Conti inquiries! The explanation was simple: Respected critic Antonio Galloni just crowned the Conti family’s 2012 Boca as perhaps their finest ever, calling it one of the top Piedmontese reds of the year, ahead of many more-costly Barolos and Barbarescos. He said he was “totally blown away” and “can’t recommend it highly enough”—unusually vociferous praise from one of the more measured voices in wine! The catch here, of course, is that only 84 cases of Conti Boca are bottled each year, making it an challenging acquisition for collectors and top restaurants. Fortunately, there’s a happy ending: SommSelect has been a strong supporter of the Conti wines for years and that earned us first-in-line status for this absolutely spellbinding 2012. There’s very little to share but trust that this is not to be missed!
[**PLEASE NOTE: today’s wine will ship from California the week of Monday, July 23. Limit 8 bottles per customer.]
The village of Boca is one of the smallest wine appellations in Italy, made up of only twelve hectares split between eleven families. Like Barolo 90 minutes to the south, Nebbiolo reigns supreme and soils are dominated by limestone and clay. However, there are some small details that set Boca—and especially the wines of the Conti family—apart from the pack. First, the grape varieties Vespolina (20%) and Uva Rara (5%) play a quiet but masterful supporting role behind Nebbiolo in today’s wine. Next, if you look closer while walking the Conti vineyards, you’ll notice some of the most exotic-looking soil ever planted to Nebbiolo. The Conti’s tiny, one-hectare vineyard holdings are full of porphyry and crystals held together by reddish sand and clay. The soil literally twinkles in the sunlight and its unique mineral composition is evident in every sip of this stunning wine.
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. The small amount of grape must produced from their tiny vineyard is fermented in a stainless steel tank. There are two punchdowns during fermentation, and after malolactic fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred to old, handmade eight-hectoliter barrels for three-plus years before another two years of aging in bottle before release. It’s a simple but proven process that results in some of the most expressive and beloved wine in this corner of Italy.
The Conti sisters’ 2012 Boca is a crash course in world-class, cellar-worthy Nebbiolo. The immediate sense with this bottle is one of thunderous—yet elegant—power, deep minerality, and the elite-level detail and structural harmony that promises it will be cherished by multiple generations. The wine is on fire today, but I have zero doubt its mineral muscle will keep it singing well into the 2030s and ’40s. Still, this is neither an austere nor purely mineral wine. There are also waves of succulent dark cherry and dark, plump mountain berry fruit that overflow from each glass—it’s decadent stuff! This is also the rare bottle that delivers pleasure tonight AND in 20 years. Of course, it’s not every day that Conti Boca becomes available, so I’m looking forward to stocking some of this particularly exceptional vintage away in my cellar and I encourage you to follow my lead. At $59, this remains one of the greatest values in world-class Nebbiolo; after it’s in your possession, all you need to do is cherish each opportunity to “check in” on its glorious evolution and sear a juicy, medium-rare Porterhouse in its honor. Enjoy!
