Description
Conti, Boca
Because of our prevailing loyalty to Conti, we were granted right of first offer for their soulful and exceedingly limited 2016 Boca last year. It sold out in a matter of hours and, per their importer, we were told that was the end of it until the following vintage. That is until the Conti sisters recently surprised them with a small second batch which is currently landing on our shores as I write this (April 4th). By now, this should serve as the adult version of a school fire drill—it happens sporadically, maybe once or twice a year, but when the alarm sounds you know exactly what to do: Grab what you can, stow them in a dark place, and savor your bottles over the next 20+ years.
A bottle of Boca Nebbiolo vinified at Conti remains some of the most expressive, infinitely intriguing, and beloved wine in this corner of Italy. Even at this young age, this is guaranteed to fulfill the dreams of any red wine collector. The reasons are manifold: Conti only farms two hectares in the punishingly small growing zone of Boca; their wines have become bonafide cellar collectibles over the decades; and classic releases like today’s sublime, age-worthy Nebbiolo consistently outperform the blue bloods of Barolo and Barbaresco. That’s why I lunge for Conti’s Boca at every opportunity because their entire production could easily fit into my walk-in closet. So, we must again limit everyone to a maximum of six bottles—trust me when I say you’re going to want every last one.
Once an Italian epicenter for Nebbiolo production, the microscopic, high-altitude haven of Boca is one of the smallest yet historically grand wine regions of our times. It became largely abandoned after the Second War and almost fell into complete oblivion by the ‘90s, but a few steadfast winemakers, Conti included, dug in their heels and persevered. Today, the region is in the middle of an explosive and deeply rewarding renaissance, yet the wines remain ridiculously hard to track down. The village of Boca is one of the smallest wine appellations in Italy, made up of only a handful of hectares split between a couple of dozen producers. Like Barolo 90 minutes to the south, the Nebbiolo grape reigns supreme here and soils are dominated by limestone and clay. However, there are some small details that set Boca, and especially the wines of the Conti family, apart from the pack. First, the blending varieties Vespolina and Uva Rara play a quiet but masterful supporting role behind Nebbiolo in today’s wine. Next, if you look closely while walking the Conti vineyards, you’ll notice some of the most exotic-looking soil ever planted to Nebbiolo. Their tiny holdings are full of porphyry and crystals held together by reddish sand and clay. The soil literally twinkles in the sunlight and its unique mineral composition is evident in every sip.
The Conti sisters understand that such unique terroir and their combined years of perfecting organic and biodynamic practices (herbicides have never been introduced to their vines) means they need not fuss too much in the cellar. There is very little in the way of technology or modern gadgetry at Conti. The minuscule amount of juice produced from their vineyards is fermented in a stainless steel tank. There are twice-daily punch-downs during fermentation and after malolactic fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred to old, handmade, 500-liter oak botti. It rests here for a minimum of three years before bottling and sees further maturation before exiting their cellar doors—today’s 2016 is their current release.
Federal law should require stashing away Conti Boca for the long haul—10, 20, even 30 years from now—because these wines can age with the best of Piedmont. Truly, these are special Nebbiolos that develop new, soul-stirring intricacies at each new aging tier, but that doesn’t mean one or two bottles shouldn’t be opened in the near future! That’s especially the case for today’s 2016 release, a wine that was already rip-roaringly explosive and generously perfumed after just 30 minutes of being opened. That said, I still recommend a minimum two-hour decant before serving in Burgundy stems around 60-65 degrees. In the glass, a Nebbiolo of mindblowing finesse and structure reveals itself, with high-toned notes of ripe red and black plum, black cherry, dried raspberry, currant, desiccated rose petal, damp earth, crushed black stone, tar, soft spices, licorice, and a basketful of wild herbs. Although more supple and generous than the ‘15, the structure of Piedmontese Nebbiolo is in full form with fine-grained tannins and buoyant, mouth-watering acidity. It’s a delicious mouthful of red wine that envelops your senses with plump, dark-fruited savor and pulverized stone minerality that reverberates for 30+ seconds on the finish. You’re going to lose your mind over this!
