Wine Advisor
Roberto Voerzio, Barolo Cerequio 2008
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Description
Roberto Voerzio, Barolo, Cerequio, Piedmont, Italy, Still, Red, 1996
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2008 Barolo Cerequio (from cask) is just classic Cerequio. Floral red berries waft from the glass as this captivating, ethereal Barolo shows off its pedigree and class. This is a highly promising Barolo.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2008 Barolo Cerequio comes across as dark, powerful and rich. Black cherries, leather, spices, licorice and tar are some of the nuances that take shape in this intense Cerequio. Here, too, the flavors are dark and brooding. With time in the glass, the Cerequio turns suave, polished and elegant, all qualities that are typical of this site, but the 2008 never fully drops its sheer muscle. The 2008 remains big, powerful and structured. A finessed finish covers every inch of the palate with small bursts of energetic dark red fruit. This is another drop-dead gorgeous wine from Roberto and Davide Voerzio. Little of the early appeal and sensuality that is typical of Cerequio is to be found in the 2008, so readers will have to be patient. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028. These wines from Roberto and Davide Voerzio represent a significant turning point stylistically. This is the first year in which most of the Baroli were aged partly in cask and partly in barrel, the same approach the estate used for its early wines, up to and including the 1993 vintage. The 2008s spent their first year in equal parts cask and barrique, and a second year in French oak barrels, just 20% new, a major change over the recent past. The exceptions are the Baroli Voerzio bottled only in magnums (Sarmassa and Vecchie Viti dei Capalot e delle Brunate), which were aged exclusively in French oak because of the tiny quantities of those wines. Roberto Voerzio describes 2008 as a year that was cold from start to finish. The wines are huge, tannic and likely to require quite a bit of patience. With time, though, the pedigree of the great Barolo vineyards simply can’t be denied. The best of Voerzio’s 2008s are pure magic. A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Peach stone and dark fruits such as blackberries with a fresh basil undertone. Full body, with refined tannins and a delicately fruity finish. Turns chewy and racy at the finish. Better in 2015.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2008 Barolo Cerequio (from cask) is just classic Cerequio. Floral red berries waft from the glass as this captivating, ethereal Barolo shows off its pedigree and class. This is a highly promising Barolo.
About the Producer
Based in La Morra, Roberto started in 1986 with just a few hectares and the goal of producing the finest Barolo in the region. His viticulture is characterized by high density plantings and extremely low yields (750g /vine). The techniques he meticulously applies in the vineyards of pruning, green harvesting and bunch-thinning leave the fruit riper and more concentrated in flavors and sugars while maintaining a balanced acidity. The Voerzio vineyards are located in the finest Crus of Barolo: La Serra, Brunate, Cerequio, Sarmassa, Rocche del’Annunziata and Fossati, with complimentary vineyards of Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo all in the commune of La Morra. 20 hectares in total are farmed, all organically. In the winery, he is considered a classic ‘modernist’, with short fermentation on the skins, not exceeding one month. With the help of his son Davide in the cellar, the wines are aged in French oak barrique and botti, the Barolo for at least 2 years. Voerzio’s perfectionist approach in the vineyards, combined with his unrelenting quality of production and engagement in sustainable practices make his wines legendary, and are widely considered to constitute the superlative expression in the category.
