2021 Cigliuti Barbaresco Serraboella, Piedmont

The 2021 Barbaresco Serraboella is elegant, deep and beautifully polished, its recent bottling notwithstanding. Dark-fleshed fruit, incense, new leather, licorice, mocha and a touch of smalloak sweetness all build with a bit of coaxing. Young tannins are a bit forbidding at this stage. Readers will have to be patient. There's gorgeous depth and intensity here.

95 points vinous.com

High on the slopes of Neive lies Serraboella, one of the most celebrated vineyards of Barbaresco and the historic home of the Cigliuti family. The estate was established in the 1960s by Alfredo Cigliuti, who recognised the exceptional potential of this hillside site long before it gained wider fame. Today the winery is run by his daughters Claudia and Silvia Cigliuti, who continue the family tradition of meticulous vineyard work and traditional winemaking. Serraboella is known for producing some of the most structured and age worthy Barbaresco wines, thanks to its calcareous marl soils and excellent south facing exposure.

The wine shows a luminous garnet colour that reflects the classic style of Nebbiolo. Aromas open with rose petal, red cherry and wild strawberry layered with hints of orange peel, dried herbs and gentle spice. As the wine evolves in the glass further notes of liquorice, forest floor and truffle begin to appear, adding depth and complexity. The palate is powerful yet beautifully balanced with firm, finely grained tannins supporting flavours of sour cherry, cranberry and savoury spice. Bright acidity carries the wine across a long structured finish, giving it both energy and impressive ageing potential.

This is a Barbaresco built for the cellar and will continue to evolve gracefully for twenty years or more, sitting comfortably alongside braised meats, duck dishes or traditional Piedmontese cuisine.