You know the world has become a strange place when an importer won’t sell you a case of Chardonnay unless you also purchase the same winery’s 100-point scoring Barolo!  But that was exactly the case as I tried to pry loose some of Aldo Conterno’s ‘gold of Bussia’ Chardonnay from their longtime American agent. While everyone knows and covets the Conteros’ fabulous Barolos (the 2021 Bussia is really smashing good!) and their other fabulous wines, only the geekiest of the geekiest know about the Chard- one of the rarest and most unique examples of the variety you will find anywhere in the world!  Aldo himself planted the vines back in the 1970s, way before Chardonnay was even a thing in Piemonte, and has always made it like the Burgundies Aldo loved so much- fermented and aged in small wood, extended lees contact, malolactic fermentation in barrel: The works!

Originally named Bussia d’Or- the Gold of Bussia- it was contracted to Bussiador after it became against the rules to use the official name Bussia on any non-Barolo from the vineyard.  The name notwithstanding, the results are totally unique; a large-boned, distinctly nutty, lavishly rich, exotic Chardonnay with gorgeous shimmery golden fruit and an extraordinarily long finish.  Its natural Monforte d’Alba acidity keeps it fresh and lively and, not surprisingly, a great candidate to cellar too. Think of it as a Puligny-Montrachet on steroids. We’ve been getting it every chance ever since but, given its tiny production, cult-like following and propensity for the importer to hoard it, that’s not very often!  This year I’ve stumbled on a few cases of vintage 2022, a particularly large-and-in-charge harvest that made a lavish Bussiador.  You gotta try some!