Giacomo Conterno, Barolo, Cerretta 2014

Just as it was from barrel, the 2014 Barolo Cerretta is a total stunner. Gracious, perfumed and light on its feet, the Cerretta has so much to say. Time in the glass just serves to bring out the wine's striking inner perfume, natural depth and crystalline intensity. Despite its relatively recent bottling, the 2014 is super-expressive, with tons of detail and a finish that goes on forever. The 2014 Cerretta has a lot to offer, although today the wine's aromatic depth and silkiness are especially alluring.

Ten years in, the 2014 Barolo Cerretta is simply gorgeous. A medium blood red color, its initial notes of dried raspberries, mint, and fennel are joined as it opens with hints of porcini powder, mushroomy earth, and dark stones. Medium-bodied, it’s elegant but has depth on the palate, with a bright, snappy lift and a stony texture. While I expect Monfortino to over-perform in these vintages, for this to shine and feel so young after 10 years makes it a lot of fun to taste. Drink 2024-2040.

The 2014 Barolo Cerretta offers a sweet spot of dried blackberry or candied cherry that is exceptionally bright and unique. This wine will require a good amount of time before it starts to open and express itself in a more sophisticated manner, but its massive potential is just a scratch away from the surface. For now, the wine is distinguished by that delightfully opulent and hedonistic spot of tart cherry plumpness that you don't often find in Nebbiolo. You certainly wouldn't expect it in the 2014 vintage for that matter. This wine clearly flaunts the deep and important quality of its primary fruit.