Luigi Baudana Barolo Ceretta 2017
Cerretta lies opposite Baudana on the east slope of Serralunga. The soil belongs entirely to the Formazioni di Lequio: a thin layer of white marl covering a deep subsoil of red clay. Grapes are picked from 40-year-old wines of multiple biotypes of Nebbiolo, representing the incredible heritage of Luigi's work. Nebbiolo has the longest vegetative cycle among local varieties, and is usually harvested around the third week of October. Fermentation is carried out primarily in one large cask. The Cerretta vineyard always has a slow start to fermentation, which then goes for 35-40 days on average. Post-fermentation 'cappello sommerso' (submerged cap) follows for another week in greater vintages. Cerretta is aged in large Slavonian casks for 32 months on average. - Giuseppe Vaira
A dark, sombre wine, the 2017 Barolo Cerretta shows the more potent, brooding side of Serralunga. Black cherry, gravel, smoke, cured meats, cloves and menthol add to an impression of virile intensity and pure power. Readers will have to be patient here, but there is certainly a ton to look forward to. This is another impressive showing from Baudana and the Vajra family. 95 points. Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media February 2020
Pretty ripe offering here, sooty, dark plum and red berries, new leather and menthol. Full-bodied, liquorice and stewed plum, firm graphite tannin, a bit of warmth, but with a stony 'mineral' feel to tannin. Juicy baked fruit and earthy flavours to close. A bit of a thumper, but very good. 94+ points. Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
A release of 3,000 bottles, the Luigi Baudana 2017 Barolo Cerretta is the most downplayed of these three wines and the least complicated from an aromatic point of view. A first wave of aromas is focused on wild rose and crushed flowers. More robust tones of ripe cherry, rusty earth and dark spice follow in time. This edition of Cerretta is surprisingly delicate and fine, going against almost everything we know about robust fruit from Serralunga d'Alba and the powerful 2017 vintage. The wine is counterintuitive in a way only Nebbiolo can be. 93 points. Monica Larner, Wine Advocate