Barolo Arione 2015 Giacomo Conterno

Barolo Arione 2015 – Giacomo Conterno

Power, elegance, and depth from one of Serralunga’s most iconic crus

The Barolo Arione 2015 by Giacomo Conterno is a benchmark expression of the Arione cru, located just south of Serralunga d’Alba. In this warm yet balanced vintage, the wine offers controlled power, firm structure, and remarkable depth. It’s an austere, vertical Barolo—crafted with the precision and classicism that define Conterno’s legendary style, marrying tradition with rigorous attention in both vineyard and cellar.

Vineyard and vinification approach

The Arione vineyard sits on iron-rich clay-limestone soils with ideal southern exposure, allowing for slow and full ripening. The vineyard is farmed traditionally, with no systemic chemicals or herbicides. Grapes are hand-harvested with strict cluster selection.

Vinification follows a classic method: spontaneous fermentation in large wooden vats, followed by an extended maceration of over 30 days on the skins. The wine is aged for about 40 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, without filtration or clarification.

Tasting notes 🍒🌿🔥

• Color: Deep, vibrant garnet red.

• Nose: Expansive and layered. Black cherry in alcohol 🍒, violet, leather, dried herbs 🌿, earthy tones, and a ferrous, sanguine minerality. Evolving beautifully in the glass.

• Palate: Powerful yet poised. Fine-grained, structured tannins, generous mid-palate weight, and vibrant acidity. The finish is long, mineral-driven, with echoes of spice and balsam 🔥.

Serving temperature and pairings

Serve at 17–18 °C after a long aeration or decanting. Perfect with braised meats, game, truffle dishes, aged cheeses, and rich Piedmontese cuisine.

Technical sheet

• Producer: Giacomo Conterno

• Appellation: Barolo DOCG

• Cru: Arione (Serralunga d’Alba)

• Vintage: 2015

• Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo

• Viticulture: Traditional, low-intervention, no systemic herbicides or pesticides

• Vinification: Spontaneous fermentation, long maceration in wooden vats, 40 months aging in large Slavonian oak casks

• Alcohol: 14.5%

• Serving temperature: 17–18 °C

• Cellaring potential: 30+ years

See all products of Giacomo Conterno

The Giacomo Conterno Winery is one of the most prestigious and legendary names on the Italian wine scene.

A symbol of excellence in the heart of the Langhe, famous above all for its production of Barolo and Barbera. Founded in the early 1900s, the winery has built its reputation on a rigorous winemaking philosophy that respects tradition and is geared toward creating wines of extraordinary longevity and complexity.

The Origins and Legacy of Giacomo Conterno

The winery’s history began in 1908, when Giovanni Conterno founded the company in Monforte d’Alba, a small village in the heart of the Barolo area. Initially, the winery produced wines for local consumption, but it was Giacomo Conterno, Giovanni’s son, who made the breakthrough that made the family name internationally famous.

In the 1920s, Giacomo had a revolutionary intuition: to produce a Barolo Riserva intended for extended aging, at a time when Barolo was generally consumed young.

Thus was born, in 1924, the legendary Barolo Monfortino, one of the first Barolos to be bottled individually as a “Riserva.”

Over the decades, the baton was passed to Giovanni Conterno, Giacomo’s son, who further consolidated the winery’s reputation through scrupulous attention to quality, making wine only in the best vintages and maintaining a traditional approach with long aging in large Slavonian oak barrels.

Today, the legacy of this extraordinary family is carried on by Roberto Conterno, who leads the winery with the same spirit of integrity and dedication.

Maintaining the philosophy of producing wines that express the full potential of the terroir and are able to defy time.

The Philosophy of Production

The philosophy of the Giacomo Conterno Winery is based on purity, tradition and absolute precision.

The wines are produced with extreme craftsmanship, following traditional methods that include:

Selective manual harvesting, to pick only the best grapes.

Spontaneous fermentations, without the use of selected yeasts, to preserve the authenticity of the fruit.

Long macerations, which can last up to 4-5 weeks, to extract complexity and structure.

Prolonged aging in large Slavonian oak barrels, a process that can last up to 7-8 years for Monfortino, ensuring extraordinary longevity.

Iconic Vineyards

The extraordinary quality of Giacomo Conterno wines is linked to vineyards of exceptional value:

Vigna Francia: Purchased in 1974, located in Serralunga d’Alba, it is the heart of the winery’s production and provides the grapes for Barolo Francia and the celebrated Monfortino Riserva.

Arione: Purchased in 2015, a prestigious cru adjacent to the Vigna Francia, which enriches the range with additional nuances of complexity.

The Wines of Giacomo Conterno

The winery’s wines are recognized as authentic works of winemaking art, representing the ultimate in Langhe elegance and power:

Barolo Monfortino Riserva: The winery’s signature wine, produced only in exceptional vintages. It is a Barolo of rare complexity and longevity, maturing for about 7-8 years in barrel before release.

Barolo Francia: A classic and elegant expression of Serralunga d’Alba, with aromatic depth and powerful structure.

Barbera d’Alba Vigna Francia: A refined and long-lived Barbera, characterized by vibrant freshness and high aromatic concentration.

Barolo Arione: The latest addition to the range, it expresses the distinctive character of this prestigious cru with vigorous tannins and layered complexity.

A Heritage of Excellence

Cantina Giacomo Conterno is not just a winery, but a living symbol of Barolo history and Piedmontese tradition. Each bottle tells a chapter of absolute dedication and respect for terroir.

Conterno wines are sought after by collectors around the world for their extraordinary ability to age and evolve, transforming each taste into a timeless sensory experience