Giovanni Rosso Barolo Cerretta 2003
Posted on 28 December 2009
My tastes for wine are pretty eclectic, and I’d pretty much drink anything with interest unless it’s really overoaked and/or jammy. But when I think of one wine that I prefer over all others, it has to be Barolo. I have a weakness for those floral bouquets and high acidities, for that otherworldly elegance and unmistakeable sense of place of a good traditional Barolo. So when picking up a wine to drink in peace and solitude on Boxing Day I went for the Giovanni Rosso Barolo Cerretta 2003. A bottle I got as a gift, it comes from a lesser-known estate located in Serralunga, the eastern side of the Barolo zone, producing the appellation’s tightest and most ageworthy wines. Cerretta is one of the best vineyards there.
Owner Davide Rosso is very traditional in his winemaking, which sees long macerations and ageing in large botte oak barrels only (though they are of French wood, not Slavonian as in the old days, coopered by the Italian company Garbellotto). Already pouring the wine into the glass, with its pale transparent crimson colour, it’s obvious this Barolo has nothing to do with the reformist movement that tried to ‘correct’ Nebbiolo’s inherent characteristics, looking for darker, less acidic, softer-tannic wines. And yet this Cerretta 2003 is no stubborn orthodox with punishing tannins. On the contrary, it’s the epitome of elegance. I felt an exhilarating wave of pure sensual pleasure when smelling this: lilies, roses and tulips, raspberries and strawberries, with a counterpoint of almost minty freshness that is so typical of Serralunga Barolos. Really lovely finesse and purity. On the palate it’s a very balanced wine, juicy, fresh, floral, only disclosing its 2003-driven richness and breadth towards the end where the tannins are very assertive but nicely ripe and never drying. And remember this comes from the the hottest and driest vintage on record which brought a wave of tough fruitless reds in many place in Europe. This wine is showing no vintage weakness whatsoever. And it drank beautifully over three days with fantastic composure.
I’ve had many good bottles this year but this, somehow, was special. So extremely typical of why Barolo is special as a wine; proudly traditional yet immensely approachable and enjoyable to drink. And most importantly, with a crystal-clear sense of place that again brought a bit smile of happiness to my face.
Disclaimer
Source of wine: gift from the Polish importer
Disclaimer
Source of wine: gift from the Polish importer