Barolo Cerequio ’97 DOCG A journey to the center of pleasure by Laura Botto

Human resources, commitment to and a passion for excellent enology; love for the land and respect for its fruits; the makings of wine, from grape to refinement: these are the chapters in Michele Chiarlo history and the secret ingredients of the excellent wine that it makes.
They are wines that faithfully represent grape varieties and their terroir, without ever evidencing the scents of wood. Rich products, extremely elegant and never cloying.
In the cellar one works with delicate processes—and only when necessary—to safeguard the variety of grape and the terroir it comes from, working hard to keep wine’s characteristics from being modified in any way.
Soft pressing, controlled-temperature fermentation, highly delicate extraction of anthocyanins and polyphenols are some of the methods with which Michele Chiarlo follows.
Great importance is given to the choice of wood used for the red wines, carefully selecting the capacity and age of the barrels, all of French oak (tonneaux, whose average capacity is 700 liters or 184 gallons).
Infinite care, that reaches its apex in the fundamental stage of bottle fining. Kept in the dark and at a constant temperature of 14 to 16? C. (57-61° F.), the “long life” reds slowly develop inebriating scents and deliciously harmonize their bouquets.

Barolo Cerequio
Among the magnificent wines from Michele Chiarlo, outstanding for its quality is the Barolo Cerequio, whose 1997 vintage is now on the market.

The territory
The Cerequio zone extends over a delectable natural amphitheater on a sunny hill with southern and southwestern exposures. It is situated between the communities of La Morra and Barolo. The terrain is composed of marl with extraordinary calcareous concentrations, Tortonian in origin with a limey texture and basic pH, poor from the organic standpoint but rich in microelements such as iron, magnesium and manganese.
The extraordinary composition of the soil, plus an especially mild climate (protected from cold north winds by the La Morra hill), make Cerequio one of the most prestigious crus in the entire Barolo wine area.
With its six hectares (15 acres), the Antico Podere Averame, owned by the Michele Chiarlo company, accounts for more than one third of the cru itself.

The grapes
The vineyard for the Cerequio blend grows only Nebbiolo grapes in the sub-varieties Lampia and Michet.
Budding in the spring and ripe only in late October, the vines generally flower in the middle of June.
The clusters are medium-large, shaped like an elongated pyramid, winged and somewhat compact. One wing is often quite pronounced. The grapes are medium-sized, round tending to the ellipsoid, with a soft but resistant skin that is dark purple and so pruinose as to seem gray.
The vineyard was planted in 1972, with a southern-southwestern exposure at a height of 320 meters (1,050 feet).
The training system is low Guyot, featuring a fruiting head that bears the grape clusters and a “woody” one that will fructify the following year. Planting density is about 4,800 vines per hectare (1,943 per acre), which, with severe pruning and thinning done in late August, provides a yield of about 50 to 55 quintals per hectare.

Vinification
After the grapes are removed from their stalks and pressed, gentle fermentation lasts for 12 to 13 days (to extract solely the fine tannins) at a controlled temperature (maximum 28 to 30? C, or 82-86° F.), frequently passing the must over the grape dregs, shower-fashion, in 50-hl vats of the French oak if the Allier.
After maceration the pomace is removed and used later to make Nebbiolo grappa.
Following the malolactic fermentation that occurs in the vats, the wine is again put into stainless steel containers for decantation, a natural process of clarification that eliminates any suspended particles.
It is then poured into 700-liter tonneaux (184 gallons), some new, some second-passage, that Michele Chiarlo has always used to refine its Barolo and Barbaresco crus, where it remains for a minimum of 24 months and is afterward fined in the bottle for a further 18 months.

The character of the crus
Thanks to its particular terroir, calcareous marl especially rich in magnesium, Barolo Cerequio cru has elegant olfactory complexity. Bright garnet in color, to the nose it is broad and fragrant in its repeated notes of red fruit jams and floral hints, scents of white truffle and sweet tobacco, with a predominance of balsamic sensations (such as sage and mint). Nuanced undertones give gentleness to a complex spectrum, a crescendo of intensity, persistence and olfactory quality.
In the mouth it is young, warm, rich, broad, big on character yet delicate, with deep and balanced taste. Tannin load is important and fine, never hard, and goes along with great extract quality. The finish is lengthy, with a pleasantly surprising delicacy that caresses the palate.
To enjoy it at the height of its potential we recommend drinking this cru at a serving temperature of 17 to 18? C. (63-64° F.) after five or six years (but it can easily age for 20).
It is an excellent wine with hearty dishes of red meat and game, and with aged cheeses made without herbs.

The label
A very prestigious label dresses the premium bottles. Designed by multi-faceted artist Giancarlo Ferrarsi, it depicts the 18th century campanile of Borgata di Cerequio. The tower is depicted in clear outlines, following the canons of classical architecture as set down by Vitruvius (Marcus Vitruvius Pollio: ca. 80-70 BCE – ca. 23-25 BCE. Roman architect, engineer and writer).

The pearl of Cerequio, its precious caveau
For this splendid wine, and for the other Barolos from Michele Chiarlo, the winery wished to provide a special place devoted to preserving and tasting Barolo wines.
And right here in Cerequio, in an innovative cellar designed by Mariano Mulazzani and executed by architect Simona De Paoli, lies the history of Barolo, with vintages running from 1958 to 2001.
In the 18th century this was the noble dwelling, Il Palas of the village surrounding the famous Cerequio cru, and today its ancient cellars have been rehabilitated and converted into an exclusive tasting venue.
One enters the room of the senses, elegant and inviting, where every architectural device reminds you of the inseparable connection between territory and art that lies at the basis of Chiarlo’s philosophy. Three clumps of calcareous soil lie on one side of the room, housed in glass containers. They come from Cerequio, Cannubi and Brunate, the zones devoted to Barolo crus.
There is a stainless steel and glass table and chairs for tasting sessions, and blue and white lighting ideal for exalting the colors of the noblest of wines. A milky white illuminated walkway takes you to the heart of the caveau, the room where the Barolo reposes.
Beyond the sliding glass door opens the cellar where you can see magically illuminated cubes of wooden cases holding a collection of more than 6,000 bottles of Barolo crus, presented as well in magnums and jeroboams—a real treasure,
The wines are ranged in order of age, from the oldest to the most recent, from left to right as if in a route that engages first the eyes and then the palate. These prized bottles can all be tasted—a unique experience to introduce you to the extraordinariness of Barolo, wine par excellence, and the noblest that this part of Piedmont so generously gives us.
A journey into history, into taste and a love of wine, to savor and experience with a goblet of Barolo Cerequio.

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