Ceretto Nebbiolo d’Alba Bernardina 2024

Ceretto is one of Piedmont's established producers, where Alessandro Ceretto has steered the estate towards organic farming and a lighter touch in the cellar. Nebbiolo d'Alba comes from the hills around Alba, on the sandier, often calcareous soils outside the Barolo and Barbaresco zones, which give a Nebbiolo that is fragrant and approachable earlier than its more famous neighbours. The grape ripens late, holding firm acidity and tannin, and is prized for aroma over colour, so the wines stay pale even when structured. Native yeast fermentation is followed by twelve months in oak, where slow oxygen exchange softens the tannins while keeping the fruit and floral character clear. The wine is pale garnet, with red cherry, raspberry and dried rose over tar, earth and a touch of spice. The palate is fresh and savoury, the tannins firm and fine grained, the acidity high, the finish dry and long. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanting if young. It pairs with braised beef, game birds, mushroom risotto and aged hard cheese.