Cigliuti Vigna Serraboella Barbera d'Alba

First and foremost a winegrower, Renato Cigliuti is a Piedmont producer who comes from four generations of farmers who have worked the Langhe land to support their families. But if there is one thing he is known for, it is for revolutionising the region when he decided to start green harvesting in 1960. A practice used by very few producers at the time that involves removing a quantity of grapes from a particular vineyard before they are ripe, thus reducing the amount of grapes, but increasing the quality of the berry. As he explained to his neighbours, who treated him as a moron at first, “if I can’t have quality and quantity, I’d rather have quality.” An exceptional quality that he managed to achieve in his first production with only 300 bottles.

Considering that for Cigliuti, 90% of the winemaking process takes place in the vineyard, his Cigliuti Vigna Serraboella Barbera d'Alba is a good example that beautifully captures the characteristics of a vintage and the identity of a terroir. It comes specifically from a blend of three plots on the property whose Barbera vineyards have an average age of 25 years and are planted on clay soils at 350 metres above sea level. In the winery, the grapes ferment and macerate for 8-12 days in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures with native yeasts and then the wine ages partly in large barrels and partly in second and third use barrels for 18 months.

So, following a philosophy of “less is more”, Cigliuto produces long-lasting, high quality wines. This Cigliuti Vigna Serraboella Barbera d'Alba made in the DOC Barbera d'Alba really showcases this. A red wine that expresses the identity of the area it is made in and of the winemaker.