# Cerviano-Merli (Abbona)

> Red, Barolo DOCG by [Abbona](https://ilvinobello.com/wineries/abbona.md), Dogliani, Piemonte, Italy. From Il Vino Bello (https://ilvinobello.com/wines/abbona-cerviano-merli).

- **Producer:** Abbona
- **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.
- **Last updated:** 2026-09-26



## Summary

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.