Robert Voerzio 'Il Ceretto' Barbera d'Alba 2021

Roberto Voerzio's 'Il Ceretto' Barbera d'Alba 2021 comes from the same hillsides in La Morra that inform his legendary Barolo, treated with the same low-yield viticulture and extended lees contact that define the estate. While Barolo commands the spotlight, Barbera remains the most widely planted and everyday-consumed grape across Piemonte, and Voerzio applies the rigor of a Barolo maker to this workhorse variety. The result is a Barbera d'Alba with unexpected weight and structure for a wine historically considered the region's table pour. Roberto Voerzio farms the Ceretto vineyard on the slopes surrounding La Morra, a commune in the heart of the Langhe where calcareous marl soils and southeastern exposures shape both Nebbiolo and Barbera. He restricts yields to concentrate flavor, ferments slowly to preserve aromatics, and allows the wine to rest on its lees longer than convention demands for Barbera. The approach mirrors his Barolo protocol, translated to a grape that thrives on Piemonte's cooler sites and shorter growing seasons. Voerzio's reputation was built on single-vineyard Barolo, but his Barbera reflects the same conviction that farming and cellar work matter as much as terroir. The 2021 vintage delivers bright red cherry and plum, with a spine of acidity that keeps the wine lively and a tannic grip uncommon in everyday Barbera. It handles rich food without fading — think braised short rib, pork shoulder with rosemary, or anything involving tomato and aged Parmigiano. Open it alongside weeknight pasta or pour it at a dinner where the wine needs to stand up to multiple courses. It drinks well now but has the structure to hold for three to five years if you want the fruit to settle and the tannins to soften. Il Ceretto is available for pickup at our Lincoln Park bottle shop at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.