With 13.5% alcohol, costing under $15 back then, and scoring 18+ points on the 20-point Dionysian Scale, the 1978 Ceretto Barolo Brunate (bottle number 8,611) was a delight at 39 years old.
After decanting lots of tannic sediment out, and pouring the wine into glasses, it continued to open for another hour! It was soft, showed smoke and spice with dried rose pedal with hints of tar, and was brownish-orange on the edge of a pale ruby robe.
Served with a venison stew, veggies and a loaf of warmed Italian bread, the wine quickly became the highlight of the meal, and invited great conversations about it, and wine of Northern Italy.
1978 was Ceretto’s First wine from the Brunate Vineyard, one of Barolo’s best. It is 100% Nebbiolo. James Suckling gave it 95 points on its release.
The wine is grown 1,000 feet up on Tartonian soils (a blend of blue marl and sand over some clay) which provided perfect drainage. Some of the best Barolo wines come from Brunate Vineyard.
The wine is ideal for game, braised meats and aged cheeses. I’ve found that Barolo is best between 20 and 30 years old.
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