# Barbera d'Alba DOC "Il Cerreto" (2022)

- **Producer:** Azienda Agricola Roberto Voerzio
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Barbera
- **Region:** Piemonte, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €35
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, blackberry, plum, orange, cedar, coffee, toast, leather, hazelnut

## About this wine

Roberto Voerzio established his winery in La Morra in 1986 and is widely regarded as one of Piedmont's modern winemaking icons. He gained international acclaim for his relentless dedication to vineyard care and radical fruit thinning. The 'Il Cerreto' plot holds special significance as the vineyard surrounding Roberto Voerzio's original residence in La Morra where the estate was born. Voerzio applies the exact same grand cru standards to his Barbera vines as he does to his famous Barolo crus, ensuring exceptional fruit purity and structure.

## Interesting facts

- Roberto Voerzio limits vine yields to as little as 500 grams of fruit per vine through severe bunch thinning.
- The Il Cerreto plot is situated directly around Roberto Voerzio's residence in La Morra where the estate began.
- The vineyard is fertilized exclusively using natural manure sourced from Alpine cows.

## Food pairing

Barbera's naturally high acidity and vibrant dark fruit flavor cut effortlessly through rich meats, poultry, and mushroom-based dishes. Soft, silky tannins allow it to pair seamlessly with braised pastas and cured meats without harsh astringency.

## Wine making process

Hand-harvested in mid-to-late September following two rigorous bunch-thinning passes in July and August that severely restrict yields. Spontaneous fermentation takes place using ambient yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with 10 to 14 days of skin contact. The wine is aged for 12 months in oak vessels, combining French oak tonneaux and large 25-hectoliter botti, followed by an additional 8 months of resting in stainless steel tanks prior to bottling unfined and unfiltered.