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Diego Conterno is old-school Barolo royalty with modern swagger. After co-founding Conterno-Fantino in the early ’80s, he stepped away around 2000 to reclaim a purer, more transparent expression of Nebbiolo—holding tight to his family’s prized vines in the legendary Ginestra cru. Though the winery officially began between 2000 and 2003, its roots run deeper: Diego had already spent two decades crafting wine alongside his cousins Claudio Conterno and Guido Fantino before setting out on his own.

Today, Diego and his son Stefano organically farm roughly 20 acres in Monforte d’Alba, cultivating Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, and Nascetta. The estate has been farmed organically since 2006, with increasing use of biodynamic methods; by 2017 the wines earned full organic certification, and since the 2019 vintage, they proudly carry DEMETER biodynamic status—a testament to purity, intention, and place.

The Comune di Monforte designation highlights Barolo sourced entirely from a single village. Here, the fruit comes from older vines in Pajana (within Ginestra) and Gris on Monforte’s eastern slopes—prime hillside terroir that delivers depth, tension, and unmistakable Monforte character.

Barolo is always 100% Nebbiolo—a pale-skinned grape with towering tannins, vibrant acidity, and the power that defines Italy’s greatest reds. Diego’s style favors elegance over excess, choosing finesse and transparency over heavy new oak.

His Barolo blends fruit from three vineyards in Monforte facing west, southwest, and southeast at 320–380 meters, with vines aged 10, 20, and 32 years rooted in clay, sand, and calcareous marl—the classic soils that shape Nebbiolo into something profound and long-lived.

"I was deeply impressed with the 2020 Barolos from Diego Conterno… the wines show notable depth and dynamic energy that satisfy both intellectual and hedonistic desires… These typically firm, classically built Barolos are not quite as tannic as in the past, but they have baby fat that will melt away with time in bottle." ~Antonio Galloni

The 2020 Barolo del Commune di Monforte d'Alba is a very serious wine. Deeply pitched notes of balsamic, menthol, licorice, spice, chocolate and blackberry soar out of the glass. A wine of depth and textural drive, the 2020 captures tons of Monforte character. Soft tannins (for a young Barolo) make the 2020 surprisingly - I should say shockingly -accessible. What a wine! ~ 94 Vinous Media

The 2020 Barolo Del Comune Di Monforte D'Alba is fresh and ripe with aromas of ripe red cherries, dusty earth, clean fresh leather, and rose petals. Medium-bodied and silky in texture, it offers a light iron mineral touch, fine tannins, and a clean, fresh lift of acidity. The dark mineral accents that frame the wine add nuance and classic appeal, with notes of dried apricot on the back palate. It boasts a refreshing tone and is approachable and charming, which is what the best wines of this vintage have to offer. Drink it over the next 10 years. ~ 92 Jeb Dunnuck

The nose is dominated by notes of wild herbs and a touch of earthiness, accompanied by sour fruits like tart cherries and unripe raspberries. On the palate, the wine surprises with a plush and round texture that gives an instant accessibility to the wine. Drink Now - 2034 ~ 90 Wine Enthusiast

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