“If there is an estate in Barbaresco that deserves more attention, it is without question Cigliuti. The 2012s were bottled in the weeks leading up to my recent visit, yet they were super-impressive.” – Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
“Cigliuti’s 2012 Barbarescos are among the most successful wines of the vintage,” reported Antonio Galloni of Vinous Media from his visit at the end of last year. “For reasons I don’t fully understand, this small, family-run estate in the Bricco di Neive district just outside of Neive proper remains very much under the radar.”
If you’re reading this, it looks like your radar’s in good working order. To recap a little, Renato Cigliuti made a dignified name for this estate by crafting what Galloni calls “striking, traditional Barbarescos”. “His 1978, which I last tasted a few years ago, was drop-dead gorgeous and still full of life,” he writes.
There came a gradual shift in the 1980s when Renato, like many of the region’s small, artisan growers, adapted to the tastes of the market with a more modern slant. These days Renato – always first and foremost dedicated to the vineyards – devotes himself entirely to his beloved vines, while daughters Claudia and Silvia Cigliuti make the wines in what Galloni terms “a more classically-leaning style”.
“The Barbarescos are once again fabulous, and, perhaps more importantly, distinctive,” writes Galloni, declaring them “super-impressive” and “terrific”. “But then so are these more affordable options”, he adds. Meaning, of course, that the Barbera and Dolcetto need to be on your radar, too.
2014 Cigliuti Dolcetto Serraboella RRP $36
100% Dolcetto from the Serraboella cru in Neive. These vines have an average age of 20 years and grow on a southwest-facing site on calcareous soils at an altitude of 350m. The must is fermented in steel vats at controlled temperatures before ageing for nine months in steel vats. The first vintage of this wine was 1964.
The 2014 Dolcetto d’Alba is dark, juicy and flavorful, with plenty of bluish and purplish fruit, dark spices and licorice. Drink this mid-weight, fruit-driven Dolcetto over the next few years. 88 points. Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
2013 Cigliuti Barbera Serraboella RRP $52
Cigliuti’s first vintage of this 100% Barbera wine was 1964. The fruit comes from 15-year-old vines from the Serraboella cru in Neive. The site has a southeastern exposure and is situated at 350m above sea level on clayey soils. The must is fermented in steel vats at controlled temperatures. The wine is aged for 18 months in second- and third-use French oak barriques.
Cigliuti’s 2013 Barbera d’Alba Vigna Serraboella is dark, juicy and wonderfully intense, with all of the juiciness and suppleness Barbera is capable of. Sweet dark cherry, cloves, menthol and leather meld into the expressive, resonant finish. The 2013 spent 18 months in neutral French oak barrels. 91 points. Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
2013 Cigliuti Barbera Campass RRP $62
100% Barbera from 25-year-old vines on clayey soils on the Campass vineyard in the Serraboella cru, 350m above sea level. Fermented in steel vats at controlled temperatures followed by 18 months maturing in new and second-use French oak barriques.
The 2013 Barbera d’Alba Campass emerges from a single parcel within the Cigliuti family’s Serraboella’s vineyard. Dark, juicy and explosive, the 2013 hits all the right notes, with tons of intensity and exceptional overall balance. Aging in French oak, 50% new, gives the wine soft contours while bringing out the best of this fruit. Lavender, mint and violets round out the dark, super-inviting finish. 93 points. Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
2012 Cigliuti Barbaresco Vie Erte RRP $93
100% Nebbiolo from 15-year-old vines from the Barbaresco cru of Bricco di Neive. The site is 350m above sea level on calcareous and sandy soils. The fruit is fermented and macerated in steel vats at controlled temperatures before maturation of 26 months in Slavonian oak barrels.
Bottled just a month ago, the 2012 Barbaresco Vie Erte is quite closed and compact today, especially in feel, but the classic red-toned profile of Erte is very much present in the glass. Crushed flowers, sweet red berries, orange peel, mint and white pepper give the 2012 an attractive upper register and a level of delineation that is unusual in this vintage. The steep site, planted just in 1997, has really begun to come around and produce fabulous wines. The Vie Erte was aged entirely in cask. 93 points. Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
2012 Cigliuti Barbaresco Serraboella RRP $120
100% Nebbiolo from the Serraboella cru in Neive. The site sits on calcareous soils at 350m above sea level, with a southwestern exposure. The vines are aged between 25 and 55 years old and yields are about 4 to 4.5 tonnes per hectare. Fermentation and maceration takes place in steel vats at controlled temperatures. The wine is matured for 26 months in Slavonian oak casks and mid-sized French oak casks.
The 2012 Barbaresco Serraboella is deep, fleshy and pliant, with lovely concentration and plenty of nuance, all in the mid-weight style of the year. Dark cherry, plum, smoke, mint and dark spices all meld into the supple finish. Readers will need to be patient, though, as the 2012s need time to fully come together. The 2012 was aged 70% in cask and 30% in tonneau. This is everything one could want from a Barbaresco from this part of the zone. 93+ points. Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
ALSO AVAILABLE…
2011 Cigliuti Barbaresco Serraboella RRP $120
A deep, dense Barbaresco, the 2011 Serraboella wraps around the palate with superb depth and structure. Dark red stone fruits, leather, tobacco, smoke, licorice and menthol are some of the many notes that shape in the glass. The 2011 boasts gorgeous depth and intensity from start to finish. Sweet floral and spice notes round out the super expressive finish. The 2011 should open up sooner than the 2010, but it also has more than enough denesity to drink well for many years. Overall, this is a relatively floral, delicate Barbaresco from the Serraboella district. The 2011 spent 26 months in oak, 70% tonneau and 30% in cask. 94+ points. Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media