Certified-organic Langhe Chardonnay from Monforte d’Alba. Whole-bunch pressed with native-yeast ferment and full malo in French oak, yielding ripe orchard fruit, gentle toast and fresh, balanced acidity.
The vineyards are farmed organically and the fruit is picked by hand. Whole bunches are soft-pressed and fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts, with alcoholic and malolactic fermentation taking place in oak. The wine is matured for roughly twelve months in large French oak casks (large barrels / botti) before light filtration and bottling in the autumn following the vintage. The result is a rich, orchard-fruit driven Chardonnay with evident toasty, honeyed and almond notes balanced by fresh acidity.
Notes on the producer
Conterno Fantino was established in Monforte d’Alba in the early 1980s and is run today under the Fantino family name (notably Fabio Fantino), producing wines from parcels around Monforte and the wider Langhe. They practise organic viticulture across their holdings and work with relatively low yields and careful vineyard selection. Their Bastia Chardonnay comes from limestone, clay and sand soils at mid-altitude and is made in small quantities, reflecting the estate’s focus on site expression and traditional cellar work, including maturation in large oak. Conterno Fantino are best known for their concentrated Barolos, but their white bottlings such as Bastia have become recognized for combining ripe fruit with savory oak influence and good ageing potential.
