Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala 2006

Aldo established the estate in 1969, having left the family winery Giacomo Conterno in the hands of his brother — a parting that became one of the defining schisms in Barolo history, traditionalist versus modernist, yet Aldo carved his own distinct path between the two. The Barolo wines remain firmly in the traditionalist camp, aged in large Slavonian oak botte, using only indigenous yeasts and traditional fermenting techniques — producing wines of great elegance that offer years of sublime drinking. Aldo passed away in 2012; the estate is now run by his sons Franco, Stefano and Giacomo, who have maintained every principle he established

Cicala is one of three single-vineyard Barolos Conterno produces from the Bussia cru in Monforte d'Alba, each expressing a distinct personality from the same extraordinary hillside. Cicala always has an attractive freshness and firmness that sets it apart from its siblings — it is the most energetic and tensile of the three, where Colonnello gives charm and Romirasco gives power.

The nose is intensely aromatic — forest fruit, wild raspberries, cassis, licorice, violets, leather and mushrooms — followed by an intense, full-throttle palate with grippy but very fine tannins, pure dark red fruit, currants and licorice, finishing long with mineral notes and florals. From another angle, the aromatics build toward menthol, pine, spice and balsamic notes, with a sweet, powerful and layered palate finishing with roasted coffee, licorice and mint. The hard tannins that once defined this wine have softened, and it is now gathering the kind of complexity that only properly aged Barolo delivers