Schiavenza Barolo Cerretta
WHY WE LOVE IT
- The fruit is estate-grown from vineyards located in the Cerretta Cru found in Serralunga d’Alba.
- This bottling of the Cerretta Cru is firmer and more structured compared to the two other Cru Barolo’s from Schiavenza in our portfolio
Varietal Composition: 100% Nebbiolo
Elaboration: The Nebbiolo macerates about 25 days on the skins. Fermentation takes place in cement vats with indigenous yeast and lasts for 10-12 days at 25-30 °C. Pumping over and airing twice a day with temperature check. Frequent racking. The Nebbiolo sees a minimum of three years in 2,000- to 4,000-liter Slavonian oak barrels.
Tasting Notes: Full and bright garnet color. Notes of red fruits, spicy tones, mineral nuances and liquorice. Very clean in the mouth, the tannin attacks and then blends with the fruit notes.
PRESS
2013 – 94 Wine Spectator | 94 Wine Enthusiast (Editors’ Choice) | 91 James Suckling
2014 – 92 Wine Spectator
2015 – 93 James Suckling | 93 Wine Spectator | 93 Wine Advocate
2016 – 92 Vinous | 95 Wine Advocate | 95 James Suckling | 95 Wine Spectator
2017 – 93 Jeb Dunnuck | 93 Wine Advocate
2018 – 91 Vinous | 93 James Suckling | 94 Wine Advocate
2019 – 95 James Suckling | 93 Wine Advocate | 92 Wine Spectator | 90 Vinous
2020 – 94 Wine Enthusiast | 93 James Suckling
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
The Alessandria family has been farming this Serralunga property since 1956.
The estate and surrounding area were formerly part of the Opera Pia Barolo (a castle that is similar to Burgundy’s Hospice du Beaune – Part educational institution and part hospital), whose vineyards were worked by sharecroppers. The local dialect for sharecropper is “schiavenza,” hence the origin on the estate name.
A name like Schiavenza should give one a clue as to the style here; this is no modern “barrique” aged Barolo estate – Wines here are fermented with native yeast in cement cisterns and then aged in traditional Slovenian botti.Vineyard holdings have expanded over time, and the estate is made up of 8 hectares split between Serralunga and Monforte. These include the heralded crus Prapò, Bricco Cerretta, and Broglio. No pesticides or herbicides are used, and all field work is coordinated with the cycles of the moon.