Ca’ is short for casa – home. Ca Rome is both home to winemaker Romano Marengo and family and to classic Piedmontese red wine-making at its finest. Located at the top of the Rabajà hill, Barbaresco’s historical cru, the house overlooks an endless vista of gently sloping Langhe country. The wines of Ca Rome have impressive structure, body and cellar life and exquisitely fine perfume, elegance and balance. The vineyards span five hectares, partly in Barbaresco, partly in Serralunga d’Alba in Barolo territory, and the average annual production is 2500 cases.

Cerretta is one of Serralunga’s designated crus, and the vines – planted in 1961 – yield a very low crop. It offers excellent concentration of rich, dark fruit with notes of tobacco, licorice, roses, violets and vanilla. The palate is long and persistent with smooth, velvety tannins and great structure for decades of cellaring.

The 2013 Barolo Cerretta is a bit more translucent but also more powerful than the Rapèt, which seems to also heighten the impression of acidity and tannin. Red cherry, cranberry, white pepper, mint and freshly cut flowers give the Cerretta its lifted, super-classic feel. The tannins need a few years to soften, but there is certainly plenty to look forward to. The Cerretta is a bit more classically austere in style than the Rapèt. Tasted: Feb 2017; Drink: 2020-2033; Rating: 94 Points; Antonio Galloni

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