Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 Barolo Cerretta is stunning already, offering wonderful floral notes as well as pure red fruits and delicate, smoky incense. It is linear and persistent but remains elegant, with notable but refined tannins. Tightly coiled and energetic, with blood orange, bergamot, and crushed stones, this rocky, vibrant red can be enjoyed 2026-2046+.
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Decanter
Harvested classically around 20 October, Roberto Conterno's Cerretta is a sleek example of a powerful wine with grace. Dried roses and dried cherries are highlighted, with fresh strawberry and watermelon, completed by sweet violet and orange peel on the finish. The attack is firm and extracted, dense and dusty; a concave wine with refreshing acidity balancing the 15% alcohol, and a savoury aftertaste. It will be released in October 2023 – a further six months in bottle will enhance its integration even more.
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Vinous
The 2019 Barolo Cerretta has shut down considerably since I last tasted it, but the elements are also more put together in that the wine is a harmonious whole rather than a combination of individual components. Dark red fruit, rose petal, orange peel, spice and dried herbs are beautifully sketched. I would not dream of touching a bottle anytime soon.
Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Grown throughout the area, as well as in the neighboring Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, it reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Outside of Italy, growers are still very much in the experimentation stage but some success has been achieved in parts of California. Somm Secret—If you’re new to Nebbiolo, start with a charming, wallet-friendly, early-drinking Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba.