Ceretto
Ceretto is one of the most renowned names in Piemonte. Based in Alba, the company owns some of the most highly regarded vineyards in the Barolo, Barbaresco and Moscato d’Asti regions. The family has been in the business for three generations, and in recent years has made a decisive shift towards organic farming and a style more focused on terroir.
History
The story begins in the 1930s, when Riccardo Ceretto founded Casa Vinicola Ceretto in Alba. He did not own any land and produced wine from purchased grapes. The real turning point came in the 1960s, when his sons Bruno and Marcello, later nicknamed the ‘Barolo Brothers’, began to map out the best plots in the Langhe and Roero and purchase the finest vineyards.
Their first vineyard, Bricco Asili in Barbaresco, was purchased in 1969, and the winery of the same name was built in 1973. In 1976, they helped to establish I Vignaioli di Santo Stefano for the production of Moscato d’Asti. This was followed, between 1978 and 1982, by the acquisition of the Bricco Rocche estate in Castiglione Falletto, Barolo.
The third generation, Lisa, Roberta, Alessandro and Federico, joined the company in 1999. Alessandro, an oenologist trained in Alba and at wineries around the world, became the driving force behind the transition to a more understated, terroir-focused style, partly inspired by producers such as Pierre Overnoy in the Jura and Nicolas Joly in the Loire.
Vineyards
Today, Ceretto cultivates around 120 hectares across four estates. Bricco Asili in Barbaresco is small (around 6 hectares) and is the source of Barbaresco’s finest wines. Bricco Rocche in Castiglione Falletto is situated in the heart of Barolo, with 11 hectares spread across some of the appellation’s finest crus, including Brunate (La Morra), Prapo and Cannubi San Lorenzo. Monsordo Bernardina, near Alba, is the headquarters and source of the Langhe and Alba wines. I Vignaioli di Santo Stefano in Santo Stefano Belbo, with around 15 hectares plus a 20-hectare hill, produces Moscato.
Terroir
The Langhe is a mosaic of hills composed of marl, sandstone and limestone. Each cru of Barolo and Barbaresco has its own distinct profile. Brunate in La Morra produces aromatic, elegant wines. Prapo and Cannubi San Lorenzo are characterised by a high clay content and a denser structure.
Bricco Asili in Barbaresco produces a classically refined, aromatic Nebbiolo.
The Moscato vineyards around Santo Stefano Belbo are situated on cooler, sandy slopes with calcareous marl, ideal for aromatic white wines.
Grapes
Nebbiolo is the star variety, used to produce Barolo, Barbaresco and Nebbiolo d’Alba. The rest of the range is based on local varieties: Arneis for the white Blance, Dolcetto, Barbera, and Moscato Bianco for sweet wines, as well as small quantities of international varieties for the sparkling wine La Bernardina.
Winemaking
All the estate’s vineyards are cultivated according to organic farming principles and hold the relevant certifications. Work in the cellar is carried out with particular restraint: winemaking with minimal intervention, fermentation with natural yeasts and ageing mainly in large oak barrels for Nebbiolo wines, as well as in small barrels and stainless steel vats where appropriate.
Moscato is produced in pressurised tanks to preserve its freshness and natural sweetness.
Wines
The Barolo range is led by the cru wines from Bricco Rocche: Brunate, Prapò, Cannubi San Lorenzo and the tiny Bricco Rocche itself. The classic blend is the Barolo Zonchera.
From Barbaresco come Bricco Asili and Bernadot, joined by the village-level wine Asij.
The Alba range includes Blangé Langhe Arneis (the estate's biggest seller), Monsordo Langhe Rosso, Rossana Dolcetto d'Alba, Piana Barbera d'Alba and Bernardina Nebbiolo d'Alba.
The Moscato range, produced under the I Vignaioli di Santo Stefano brand, includes Moscato d'Asti, Asti Spumante and Moscato Passito.
There is also the traditional flavoured Barolo Chinato and the sparkling La Bernardina.
The best vintages
Some of the best vintages for Ceretto are: 1990, 1997, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021.
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