Piedmont, located in northwestern Italy, is Italy's largest and most important wine-producing region.

Piedmont, located in northwestern Italy, is the largest and most important wine producing area in Italy. In Piedmont produces 7 kinds of DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) grade and 42 kinds of DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) grade red and white wines. Among them, the one that attracts the most attention is known as the "King of Wines" in Italy. King's Barolo (Barolo) red wine.

Barolo (Barolo) wine, the most representative specialty of the Piedmont region of Italy, is also one of the best red wines in Italy. Piedmont's Barolo wine is known as "the best of wines" in Italy. King, the wine of kings.”

The author has traveled to Italy more than ten times. This winter and spring, I went to Italy again for socializing. Only then did I have the opportunity to be warmly invited by local colleagues. A group of us went to the Aldo Conterno winery in the Barolo wine region and tasted the magical wine. Fine wine.

The moment of tasting was so magical. I became a believer in Barolo. When I tasted the first sip of Gran Bussia Barolo Riserva 2006, my whole body and mind instantly calmed down. , what does the chaos in the world have to do with me? I am as solid as the earth, only the cup in my hand is the truth.

This is the top wine of Poderi Aldo Conterno in the village of Monforte d'Alba in the Barolo wine region of Piedmont, Italy. The second generation owner Giacomo Conterno said: "This wine has a great sense of balance and should be enjoyed one bite at a time."

This wine is not available every year, and is only available in It will only be brewed in the best years, with limited production (about 3,000 bottles), and it will take at least nine years from brewing to release. The grapes come from three vineyards with "truffle-like soil" in the Bussia region: Romirasco, Cicala and Colonnello, with a ratio of 70/15/15. The grape harvest is completed within three hours on the same day. This wine has a solid structure, strong and flexible tannins, and aromas of black cherries, plums, and mint. It has extraordinary acidity and minerals, and a long and charming aftertaste. Locally, the 2006 and 2009 vintages are sold out, with only the 2012 vintage priced at 950 euros. The 2010 vintage is sold at Barolo retail stores for 700 euros.

Barolo is the first wine region to be rated as the highest level DOCG. It is known as the "King of Wines, the Wine of Kings". Aldo Conterno Winery is the leader and has been exported to 35 countries and regions. Including many countries in Asia. The Conteño family's winemaking can be traced back to 1770. In 1969, Aldo Conteño, who had spent time in the California wine region, parted ways with his brother Giovanni, bought the Favot Winery, and founded the winery.

Giacomo, who now co-manages the winery with his brothers Franco and Stefano, said to the author: "The winery aims to make the best wine that our soil can grow. Every Each soil has a special message and the winemaker needs to listen to it faithfully. We are so close to Mother Earth that all the vineyards (25 hectares) are located around the winery. It happened that the winery held a tasting session, and the tasting session at the winery was very enjoyable, and every wine was excellent. The only white wine, Bussiador 2017, is made from Chardonnay (Chardonnay) grapes. It has an attractive aroma, fresh and energetic wine acidity, a pure taste, and good wine body and structure. Giacomo said that Chardonnay is not a typical grape variety in the Barolo wine region. The winery had planted it as early as the 1970s. The soil here is close to Burgundy, France, rich in minerals and wine acid, and the climate is not too harsh. Cold, creating another possibility for liquor. The best drinking period of this wine is eight to ten years. After ten years, it will taste like honey.

The winery could originally produce 18,000 bottles of liquor, but only 7,500 bottles were produced.Giacomo said that the winery can overall produce 400,000 bottles of wine per year, but insists on producing only 80,000 bottles, showing the best performance of the year and not causing much interference in brewing. It was found to be too cold and wet during bottling in 2002, and the climate was too warm in 2003. As a result, no wine was released in the past two years. He also said that international customers’ trust in the winery is a check. If you sign it and do not promise the quality of the wine, you will have problems. “You don’t have the final say on the best wine. You can only brew the soil.” The best wine. Only the soil can promise the wine.”

When a group of us tasted the Barbera D’Alba Conca Tre Pile 2019 vintage, Giacomo pointed out that if the Barbera wine (Barbera) is not acidic enough, oak barrels. will "attack" the fruit. The winery is not interested in making a "majestic" Barolo, but rather highlights the freshness and vitality of the fruit, and the wine is transparent rather than dark. "If winemakers are too self-centered, they will stay away from the grapes, which will cause big trouble. Human beings can only stand behind the grapes and the land," he said.

Barolo is brewed from Nebbiolo (Nebbiolo) grapes. The entry-level Barolo Bussia 2018 vintage is still very young, with tight but mild tannins and an overall smooth and elegant taste. Giacomo insisted that this style was the real Barolo.

The vineyard is located at an altitude of 350 to 400 meters. The soil is composed of clayey marl, limestone and sand. Single vineyard Barolo carefully selects fruits. Barolo Colonnello 2018 comes from 40 to 45-year-old grapevines that are constantly replanted. The soil has rich sandy soil, etc. It is matured in oak barrels for 28 months. It has strong floral aroma, slender style, and fruit Bright, silky tannins. Cicala, named after cicada, is 80% clay and the rest is limestone . It has high acidity and a rich, smooth and balanced wine. Romirasco is the oldest vineyard established in 1875. Only 3.5 hectares of soil will give the wine spices and multi-layered complexity, which is the backbone of the wine. The 2017 vintage has full, powerful and elegant tannins, with spices and a long and complex finish.

Giacomo believes that the best drinking period of Barolo is 15 to 20 years, and 2001, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019 are the best years of Barolo.

We visited the underground wine cellar of the winery and saw the museum-level winemaking equipment used by the family for 300 years. Barolo is matured in large French oak barrels of 2500 liters, while Chardonnay is matured in small oak barrels. There is a dedicated cellar in Barolo Dabuscia. The magnum of Aldo Conteño's birth year in 1931 is the oldest wine in the winery, and it also reminds people of his bold spirit in pioneering Barolo wine!

I accidentally thought of a poem in "The Legend of Sword and Fairy":

Riding a sword on the wind, slaying demons in the world;

I am happy when I have wine, but I am happy without wine.

Drink all the rivers in one go, and drink again to swallow up the sun and the moon;

I can’t get drunk after a thousand cups, but I am the wine swordsman.