Barolo Cerequio, Vietti 2019

The 2019 Barolo Cerequio is a worthy follow up to the stellar 2018. Aromatic and deeply pitched, the 2019 races across the palate with remarkable depth and intensity. Crushed red berry fruit, rose petal, mint and cinnamon all open in the glass, but it is the wine's silkiness and suppleness that impresses most. A kick of acids and tannins puts an exclamation point on the finish. This is a gorgeous Cerequio that takes all the finesse this site offers, and then turns up the volume. What a wine. 2027-2044

Vietti was able to buy a 9,000-square meter piece of Cerequio from Michele Chiarlo, arguably the king of this celebrated cru. And because this is a new addition to the portfolio, the Vietti team is still learning the ropes. For example, there is a fresh minty tone that pops up from the bouquet of the 2019 Barolo Cerequio. "That minty note was a mystery to us," Luca Currado tells me. "But then we understood that its part of Cerequio." This wine shows a firm grip on the palate that does extend out to include some textural softness, but it ultimately remains quite structured. Among the grand cru sites of La Morra, Luca Currado tells me that "Cerequio is the brother and Brunate is the sister." His wife Elena Penna adds, "We've never had two sites so close to one another show such a great difference between them." 2025-2050