Red

Cerviano-Merli

By Abbona, Dogliani, Piemonte, Italy

Abbona Cerviano-Merli

Grown in the Cerviano-Merli cru that gives it its name, on a south-facing slope, this Barolo has notable structure and depth, revealing its aromas slowly over time; a wine meant for ageing.

Tasting notes

Notably structured; being grown on a less sandy soil, it is slower to reveal its broad aromas, developing notes of dark tobacco, blueberry and liquorice over a mineral background.

Technical details

Style
Red
Denomination
Barolo DOCG
Grape
Nebbiolo
Cru / vineyard
Cerviano-Merli
Production area
Cerviano-Merli, Novello
Soil
Sant'Agata Fossil Marls: a fine silty clay soil (sand 15%, silt 57%, clay 28%, pH 8.2), pale in colour and rich in limestone.
Exposure
South-east facing, 400-450m altitude (average 425m), 25% average slope.
Vineyard planting
Vines average 21 years old (the estate's vineyard page gives 24 years for the wider Ravera-Cerviano area), Guyot trained at 5,000 vines per hectare; yield 55 quintals per hectare over 1.5 hectares.
Vinification
Crushed and destemmed, followed by skin maceration. Spontaneous alcoholic fermentation begins with indigenous yeasts in contact with the skins in temperature-controlled steel tanks, with daily pump-overs. At the end of this period the cap is submerged for a final maceration, then dry racking, settling and transfer to barrels. Malolactic fermentation carried out entirely and spontaneously during the submerged-cap maceration. Aged for a very long period in Slavonian oak barrels, then blended and bottled, resting in bottle at a constant 14°C for several months before release.
Serving temperature
18°C, after bringing the bottle to room temperature for at least 24 hours.
Storage
Aged in the cellar for four years before release.

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