Cerretta

Cerretta occupies the west-to-southwest-facing slopes of Serralunga d’Alba at 280–360 metres, where the compact Lequio Formation that distinguishes the commune meets the younger Sant’Agata Fossili marls. The name likely references the Turkey oak — cerrus — once common on the hillside, a reminder of the woodland that preceded the vines on these slopes.

The Terroir Cerretta’s west-to-southwest aspect means it receives more afternoon and evening sun than purer south-facing sites — a subtle distinction that ripens Nebbiolo fully and contributes to the wines’ characteristic depth of colour and fruit concentration. These soils stress the vine in the classic Serralunga tradition, holding yields low and driving the mineral intensity that runs through every serious bottling from the site.

The Critical Take The wines show dark cherry, iron, tar, tobacco, dried rose, and earth, with a structural weight that demands ten to fifteen years before the tannins begin to integrate. Giovanni Rosso’s single-vineyard bottling brought significant attention to the site and helped establish it as one of Serralunga’s most promising MGAs — a cru whose reputation has risen steadily as growers have shown just how much depth and length it can deliver. Once overshadowed by Serralunga’s marquee names, Cerretta has emerged as one of the commune’s most exciting sites, and the clarity and depth of the modern single-vineyard bottlings have justified the growing attention. Its west-facing warmth gives the wines a generosity of fruit unusual for Serralunga, without sacrificing the iron-and-tar backbone that marks true commune character. For anyone building a cellar of age-worthy Nebbiolo at sensible prices, Cerretta is one of the most rewarding Serralunga crus to follow, and its trajectory still points firmly upward.

At the Table Cerretta’s deep colour and firm structure suit hearty Piedmontese cooking: brasato al Barolo, braised game, and truffle-dressed roasts. Like all serious Serralunga, it is a wine to reward the patient: give it a decade at minimum, and a fine vintage will hold and improve for twenty years or more. Decant young bottles two to three hours ahead and serve at 16 to 18 degrees from a large Burgundy-style glass, allowing the firm tannins to soften and the dark, savoury fruit to open. With maturity, a simple plate of aged Castelmagno is all the accompaniment it needs.

Benchmark Producers Giovanni Rosso, Ettore Germano.