2015 | Domenico Clerico | Barolo Ciabot Mentin

Leather and spice flavors seep around the edges, amplifying the core of cherry and plum in this rich, muscular red. Despite the dense tannins, this is balanced, lingering with an aftertaste of fruit, tobacco and iron.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: The Domenico Clerico 2015 Barolo Ciabot Mentin is a stunner. Again, having tasted the 2016 and 2015 vintages side by side, my preference is with this vintage, even if just by a hair. I love the depth, the wide-angle approach and the way the wine wraps so softly and comprehensively over the palate. Along with smoke, licorice, dry soil and iron ore, there is a lot of dark fruit here; however, the fruit is vivid and bright, hitting all the high notes of a cellar-worthy Nebbiolo.

• James Suckling: There’s a wide array of dried herbs here, ranging from rosemary and thyme to oregano; don’t miss the bright red plums and cherries, though. The full-bodied palate is impressively compressed, wound up in a tight ball of steely tannins and driven along confidently by unforgiving acidity bite. Drink from 2023.

Producer Information

Domenico Clerico is a small, high-quality producer near Monforte d'Alba in Piemonte. It is particularly known for rich, aromatic, single-vineyard wines from the Barolo appellation. The Barolo lineup is headed by Percristina, from a 1.7-hectare (4.2-acre) plot in the Mosconi cru, which is aged for 36 months in French barriques, then 24 months in Slavonian oak vats. As well-known (and a little easier to find) is the Ciabot Mentin, from a 5.5-ha (13.6-acre) portion of the Ginestra cru, which receives 24 to 30 months in French barriques. A separate 3-ha (7.5-acre) Ginestra plot provides the grapes for the Barolo Pajana. Aeroplanservaj (Wild Aeroplane) is named after the nickname Domenico's father gave him, and is sourced from a rented plot in Serralunga d'Alba. The Bricotto cuvée is rarest of all, sourced from just 0.3ha (0.7 acres) in the Bussia vineyard, and produces a mere 750 magnums annually. The generic Barolo is sourced from a specific 4.1ha (10.1 acres) of vines in cru vineyards, and is aged for 18 to 24 months in a mix of new and old barriques and large Slavonian casks. Capisme-e is labelled as Langhe Nebbiolo, but produced from fruit from Barolo vineyards, aged in steel tanks. Nebbiolo also dominates in the Arte Langhe Rosso which combines fruit from three of the cru plots with 10 percent Barbera, The range is completed by a Barbera d'Alba and a Langhe Dolcetto. Winemaking has evolved over the years and Domenico Clerico does not sit firmly within either the modernist or traditional camp. Decisions regarding use of barriques or large barriques have historically been taken at least partly with a pragmatic view concerning availability and ease of handling, and the big change has been to extend maceration periods from five to eight days to an average of 18. Approaches in the vineyard are perhaps more dogmatic. Vine quality is considered paramount and yields are amongst the lowest in the region. The estate in its current form began in 1976, when Domenico took over his father's 5-ha (12-acre) smallholding, which had supplied the local cooperative. Over the years he has added small parcels from some of the best sites in Barolo and now holdings totals around 21ha (52 acres).

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