"Family wine making"
Renato Cigliuti's family has been
farming vineyards and producing wines in
Barbaresco since 1790. However, it wasn't
until 1964 that they began bottling and
selling their own wines, just 300 bottles of
Barbaresco. Renato was
one of the first in the area
to do so, together with
Giacosa and a few other
estates.
Today, Renato steers
the course for Cigliuti but
is assisted in the cellar by
his wife Dina, and
daughters, Claudia and
Silvia— a talented and a
well-matched team.
The
winery is located at the top
of the Serraboella hill.
Serraboella is an official Barbaresco
subzone and the most important vineyard
in the eastern part of the municipality of
Neive, thanks largely to the progress made
by Renato himself. For decades, Cigliuti's
name has been synonymous with
expressive Barbarescos from Serraboella,
of the utmost quality, and will continue to
be for decades to come.
The territory of Langhe is
characterised by hills, steep slopes and a
predominantly calcareous clay soil. The
climate is mainly ontinental, with
important differences in
microclimate depending
on the site. This terroir
brings minerality,
complexity, personality
and longevity to the wines.
The Fratelli Cigliuti
winery is situated on the
Serraboella hill, 350
metres above sea level,
overlooking the village of
Neive, in the Langhe
region of Piemonte.
Serraboella, rich in
calcareous clay, is planted with Nebbiolo,
Barbera, and Dolcetto; incorporating the
single vineyard 'Campass'.
The sandier Bricco di Neive is planted
exclusively with Nebbiolo ('Vigne Erte').
The Cigliuti family tend the vineyards
themselves, by hand, and in a way which
respects the environment. Yields are kept
low in order to harvest the finest fruit.
List of wines
Vigna
Erte
is
a
lovely
Cru,
just
one
hill
over
from
Serraboella.
As
of
2010,
the
wine
will
also
carry
the
"Bricco
di
Neive"
Cru
designate.
This
hilltop
has
more
sand
in
the
soil.
Sandy
soils
lead
to
an
expression
of
Nebbiolo
with
high-toned
aromatics
and
more
accessible
tannins.
Like
Serraboella,
Vigna
Erte
sees
both
Slovenian
and
French
2000L
oak
casks.
In
the
glass,
the
wine
has
fresh
red
plum
and
raspberry,
violets,
roses,
tar,
and
minerals.
It
is
a
highly
aromatic,
soft
and
silky
expression
of
Nebbiolo.
30
year-old
Nebbiolo
vines
are
carefully
tended
by
hand
at
the
hillcrest
of
the
Serraboella
Cru
in
Neive.
Cigliuti's
portion
of
the
hill
is
southwest
facing
on
calcareous
marl
and
tufa
soils.
Barbaresco
Serraboella
is
aged
in
primarily
Slovenian
casks
and
a
small
amount
of
French
oak.
There's
beautiful
fruit
in
this
red,
which
shows
pure
cherry,
plum
and
licorice
aromas
and
flavors
highlighted
by
oak
spice
and
floral
notes.
Detailed
and
elegant,
with
solid
power
underneath.
The
finish
echoes
fruit,
earth,
and
spices.
2009
is
the
first
vintage
of
Langhe
Nebbiolo
from
Cigliuti.
It
is
crafted
from
the
15
year-young
vines
in
Bricco
di
Neive
and
aged
in
Slovenian
oak.
The
wine
has
vibrant
red
cherries,
lavender,
and
milk
chocolate.
It
is
really
seductive
with
present
yet
integrated
tannins
and
great
elegance.
Briccoserra
is
50%
Nebbiolo
and
50%
Barbera
from
the
Serraboella
vineyard.
The
Barbera
fills
out
the
wine's
core
and
provides
the
plump,
fragrant
fruit
while
the
Nebbiolo
contributes
aromatics
and
structure.
Ideally
the
sum
is
greater
than
the
whole
of
its
parts,
which
is
certainly
the
case
here.
From
start
to
finish
this
is
a
beautifully
balanced,
compelling
red.
It
is
loaded
with
ripe
dark
fruit.
This
medium
to
full-bodied
red
possesses
outstanding
depth
and
clarity,
along
with
layers
of
gorgeous
aromatics
that
continue
to
open
up
in
the
glass.
This
single-vineyard
Barbera
is
from
15
years
old
vines
grown
in
a
slightly
lower
part
of
the
Serraboella
vineyard
where
the
southeastern
exposed
soils
contain
more
clay
than
calcareous
limestone.
It
spends
18
months
in
neutral
French
oak
barrels.
Black
cherry,
black
raspberry,
mushroom,
and
earth
mingle
on
the
nose
with
pepper,
licorice,
smoke,
and
subtle
oak
spices.
It
has
great
texture
and
length.
The
Serraboella
Dolcetto
delivers
intense
aromas
and
flavors
of
blackberry,
boysenberry
and
mineral,
with
vivid
acidity
and
good
grip.
It
is
meaty
and
powerful,
with
a
long
finish.
