Germano Ettore - Barolo Cerretta DOCG 2019

Almost transparent in color, with rust-brown hues. On the nose, red berries, licorice, citrus, and peach. On the palate, velvety and fine-grained, with refined tannins and harmonious acidity that allow the flavors to fan out beautifully. The finish is remarkably fresh and long, with a hint of sweet spices. A 2019 Cerretta where complexity is the keyword, and which still tastes youthful and restrained.

A Barolo for the finest dishes of Piedmontese cuisine: tajarin with white or black truffle, mushroom risotto, braised or roasted red meat, game, and aged cheeses. Serve at 16-18 °C.

Just outside Serralunga, at the foot of the Cerretta hill, lies the Sergio Germano winery. Sergio is the kind of person you don’t easily forget. Not only because of his imposing presence, but above all because of his enormous passion for wine.

We have known Sergio and his family for years and love visiting them. The cantina, nestled among their own vineyards, does not feel like just any wine company. It is a true family home, where work is carried out with respect for tradition, but where there is always room for innovation.

The Germano family story begins in 1856 with great-grandfather Francesco. What once started with a few hectares on the Cerretta has since grown into a beautiful winery with many hectares of vineyards in some of the most stunning locations in Serralunga, including Cerretta, Prapò, Lazzarito, and Vigna Rionda.

Sergio has built the winery into what it is today and remains its driving force. His wife Elena, daughter Maria, and son Elia are, of course, also involved in the family business. This is how knowledge is passed from generation to generation.

And while the Barolos naturally form the heart of the winery, Sergio has never been afraid to break new ground. His love for white grapes led him to the Alta Langa years ago, where he began working with varieties such as Chardonnay and Riesling. The Hérzu Riesling and the Blanc de’s have since become just as important a part of the Germano story.

Despite its growth and progress, the Germano winery certainly does not feel like a large corporation, but like a true winemaking family.

The grapes come from the MGA Cerretta in Serralunga d'Alba, at an altitude of some 350 to 400 meters with a south to southeast exposure. The vines average 50 years of age and are planted on clay with calcareous marl, the soil type so characteristic of Serralunga that gives the wine its structure and minerality.

The grapes are harvested by hand and transported to the cellar in small crates. There, they are destemmed and lightly crushed, after which alcoholic fermentation takes place in vertical stainless steel tanks. Maceration lasts approximately 40 to 45 days, with pump-overs several times a day and occasional délestage for color and tannins. After malolactic fermentation, the wine matures for 18 to 24 months in medium-sized oak barrels of varying ages, and then rests in the bottle for about 12 months before being released to the market.

This Cerretta is enjoyable now but still young. The wine will gain complexity with a few years of cellar aging and has the potential to continue maturing for years to come. Cellar-worthy until 2040-2045.