DOMENICO CLERICO

Legendary winemaker

Just as almost every legendary Barolo estate has its own special story, the same is certainly true for Domenico Clerico in Monforte d’Alba, on the border with Barolo. Poverty was widespread in the region, and no one had yet become wealthy from the sale of Barolo. After much hesitation, he took over two hectares of vineyards and two hectares of peach trees from his father in 1976. In a document regarding the takeover of the farm, he noted: "...the land on which we live has a value that we do not yet fully understand...". This proved to be incredibly visionary.
Today, the winery owns 21 hectares of vineyards in the most prestigious crus such as Bussia, Ginestra, Pajana, and Mosconi, and the wines are highly sought after worldwide. The great visionary himself unfortunately passed away too soon in 2017. His top Barolo, Percristina, serves as a reminder of his daughter who passed away at a young age. The Barolo Ciabot Mentin is named after the former owner of the Ginestra site. The Barolo Aeroplanservaj is named after the nickname his father gave him, which loosely translates to "lively rascal." In one way or another, Domenico always remained that rascal. Mischievous, headstrong, and humorous. This was also reflected in the labels. Because he liked all the designs from a Florentine artist, Aeroplan Servaj is only available in a wooden case of six bottles, each with a different label. These art boxes have been very popular with collectors for years.

Domenico was a modernist and was at the forefront of everything that represented progress. He was, therefore, one of the first winemakers to experiment with barriques and rotofermenters, something that made his wines very popular in the American market at the time. Especially for this market, the Clerico winery still produces a Langhe Rosso, which is aged in new barriques. The fact that Clerico was ahead of trends served them well. The more traditional path taken ten years ago, where the Barolo wines were largely aged in large casks (botte), has also proven to be a golden move that has given the company an extra boost in quality. It is no coincidence that the Barolo wines of Domenico Clerico consistently receive 92+ ratings from leading wine journalists. Since Domenico's passing, it is his wife, Giuliana Viberti Clerico, who, together with the highly skilled oenologist and winemaker Oscar Arrivabene, continues to run the winery and ensures, and where possible even enhances, the quality. The vineyards and the cellar itself were bequeathed to his niece Cecilia and nephew Orlando. For several years now, they have been taking their first steps in the iconic cellar left to them by their uncle. These are big shoes to fill, but judging by recent developments, the Clerico winery is heading toward a bright future.

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