Domenico Clerico is another great Piedmontese winemaker. He also offers great
wines in a completely different style. Kay was fortunate to discover the estate and
this new wine-approach, more classical but still intriguing. It was worth the detour.
The success story of this talented man lies in his lifetime of hard work and patience.
He gradually built up an exceptional vineyard in the Barolo appellation. Today the
estate represents 21 hectares of vines for an average production of 110,000 bottles
per year.
Domenico Clerico passed away four years ago after a long illness. His know-how will
never die though and will remain legendary across all Barolo wines. The style of
Domenico Clerico’s Barolo wines embodies a blend of modernity and tradition,
distinguishing themselves by their precision and sense of terroir.
For the tasting Kay, chose the Barolo 2016. This wine has a strong and austere
character, with a garnet red colour and a pleasant aroma of red fruits, liquorice,
cocoa and balsamic touches that refer to dry leaves and forest resin. On the palate, it
is pleasantly harmonious, thanks to the elegant and long-lasting.
The second wine that caught his attention is the “Per Cristina” Barolo 2010. It is a
wine produced in memory of his deceased daughter.
It offers an absolutely wonderful tasting experience. First of all, black cherry, fig and
spices like cinnamon and cardamom predominate. The tannins are hidden in the silky
fibre of the wine. Although you can feel that some of this power comes from ageing,
the tannins in the wood are elegantly integrated. One of Barolo’s myths offers us a
generous and talented wine. The vines for this vintage were planted in 1968 between
240 and 280 meters above sea level. It is the oldest vineyard of the estate, and the
vines are known to produce small berries and concentrated fruit aromas.
This Barolo has only 3000 bottles sold individually to the lucky few who have an
allocation. It is rare and difficult to get one and makes sense understands after
tasting it.