Team Thursdays | Diego Conterno with Doug Kahn

Diego chose to zig where many Conternos zagged, favoring a more traditional, more natural side of Nebbiolo when he left the winery he and his cousins had started in 1982. When in 2000 he began to make wines bearing his own name, he had the fortune of maintaining a plot within Ginestra, the most prized Cru within Barolo's Monforte.

Diego's Barbera comes from the estate vineyard Ferrione, located just outside the Barolo zone, the vines atop clay and limestone soils. The classic red fruits of Barbera truly burst through with a faint herbal touch, with a brilliant lift to the palate.

Barolo Comune di Monforte d'Alba is sourced from plots within Ginestra, Pajana and Ciabot, each vinified separately. The three plots vary between 900-1200 feet of elevation, vines planted into limestone with differing top soils of clay and sand. Incredibly complex ripe red fruits, baking spices and dried flowers and orange peel.

Barolo Le Coste is part of Monforte, at the very southern part of the Barolo zone. From 1200 feet elevation, Nebbiolo here is bright and structured, with a focus more on floral and spice tones with delicate bright red fruits.

Of course, Ginestra is the most sought-after, and with reason - Diego knows this vineyard best, it having been in his family for a century and a half. Wound tight in its youth, this is impressively bold with dark and red fruits and wild spices.