2021 Luigi Baudana Cerretta Barolo, Piedmont

Explosive and decidedly captivating, it displays notes of cherries, black cherries, red plums, wild strawberries, lemon peel, sandalwood, wild thyme, and sweet gummy bears. Marasca cherry, wisteria, nutmeg, and green mandarin juice blend beautifully with nuances of grapefruit and hibiscus. Full-bodied, elegant, and graceful on the palate, it displays quality in every component, with a remarkable voluminous presence fully engaged in a progression animated by the passion and power of the terroir. Perhaps more exciting than ever before. Better from 2026.

96 points RV winecritics.com

Starting off a bit slower than the other wines in this flight, the Luigi Baudana 2021 Barolo Cerretta is quite nervous and tightly wound at this point. Cerretta in Serralunga d'Alba is known for its powerful, age-worthy wines. Despite that initial shyness, this bottle does reveal layers of sweet fruit, grenadine and tart cherry. The wine is nicely balanced with chalky, elegant tannins.

95+ points Monica Larner robertparker.com

The Luigi Baudana Cerretta Barolo from Serralunga d’Alba is a profound single-vineyard expression that captures the soul of one of Barolo’s most revered crus. Luigi Baudana, a historic name in Serralunga, entrusted his vineyards to the Vajra family in 2009, and today Aldo and Milena Vajra and their children continue the legacy with sensitivity and precision. The Cerretta site, with its limestone and iron-rich soils, produces Nebbiolo of remarkable depth, perfume and longevity, and under the Vajra family’s care it has become one of the jewels of the Luigi Baudana range.

Cerretta sits on the western slopes of Serralunga, with soils that combine power with finesse. The fruit is hand-harvested at low yields and fermented in vertical vats, using long macerations that coax out colour, tannin and aromatic complexity. The wine then spends years maturing in large Slavonian oak botti, a traditional approach that emphasises terroir over oak influence and allows the wine to slowly knit together.

In the glass it is deep garnet with brick hues at the rim. The nose is haunting and expressive, showing red cherry, raspberry and cranberry alongside dried rose, violets, licorice, iron and earthy spice. The palate is powerful and tightly structured, with firm tannins and vibrant acidity supporting a core of red fruits, balsamic herbs, truffle and mineral notes. The finish is long, savoury and commanding – a wine that demands patience and rewards it generously.

Food pairings highlight its depth and structure: braised beef short ribs, osso buco, venison with juniper, or porcini risotto with shaved truffle. Mature cheeses like Castelmagno or aged Parmigiano Reggiano are also superb companions. With 20 to 25 years of cellaring potential, Cerretta evolves into something majestic, gaining layers of dried fruit, leather, spice and earth while maintaining its signature Serralunga backbone.