2019 Barbaresco, Asili, Ceretto, Piedmont, Italy

Barbaresco. Lustrous mid-ruby. A deep perfumed red-fruit nose with a minty edge and still youthful. Compact, almost racy cranberry followed by sweet raspberry and firm tannins. Elegant and potent at the same time. Long, lingering finish that is still a little compact. Serious stuff and in need of further ageing.

Drink 2024 - 2034

Pretty nose of rose hips, raspberries, flowers and cloves. It’s medium-bodied with a fine, firm tannin frame and vibrant acidity. Precise and clear-cut. Tight for now. From organically grown grapes. 

Try in 2024

Since around 2005/2006, ageing switched from 100% barrique to a mix of both barrique and botti grandi. The estate works biodynamically and is certified organic, with 5.6 hectares in Barbaresco. It's a big estate - with 170 hectares - but displays a precise and crafted winemaking style. Asili, in my opinion, remains the most representative wine of the Ceretto family. 

Focused on the elegance of the MGA, this shows fresh watermelon fruit to the fore, with poised, restrained strawberry, dried flowers and liquorice root wrapped up in ripe tannins and lifted acidity. Concentration, weight and balance make this a wine for the long haul. Don't miss it.

Drink 2022 - 2039

The 2019 Barbaresco Asili is ample, creamy and resonant. All the signatures of this site come through in a Barbaresco of breadth and resonance. Even so, the 2019 remains light on its feet. There is plenty of depth and persistence, but it is expressed in more of an understated manner. It's a beautiful wine.

Tasting the 2019 and 2018 Barbarescos side by side is a great way to gain greater insight into the personalities of these two vintages. The 2019s are deeper and richer in feel, while the 2018s are more forward and also lighter in structure. Not surprisingly, production of the 2018 vineyard-designates was quite a bit lower than normal because of selection. Alessandro Ceretto generally gives the Barbarescos 20-30 days on the skins. Malos are done in barrique, after which the wines spend 18 months in cask.

Drink 2025 - 2039