Ceretto Bricco Asili Barbaresco Bernardot 2015

Product info about Ceretto Bricco Asili Barbaresco Bernardot 2015

Ceretto Bricco Asili Barbaresco Bernardot 2015 is a Barbaresco DOCG from Piedmont, made entirely from nebbiolo. Its fruit comes from the Treiso area, from a higher and relatively cool position reaching above 400 metres. For nebbiolo, that kind of setting matters: it helps retain lift, natural acidity and the aromatic definition that gives Barbaresco its character.

Bricco Asili refers to Ceretto's winery in Barbaresco, where the grapes for this selection are handled. Ceretto's approach for its cru wines is built around restraint rather than excess, with limited intervention and a vinification that lets the vineyard speak clearly. The 2015 vintage also falls under Ceretto's organic certification. Maturation is described as around 12 months in barriques, followed by about 10 months in large wooden casks, so the wood frames the wine rather than taking over from nebbiolo's natural tannic structure.

What makes this 2015 particularly engaging is the meeting point between vintage ripeness and classic Barbaresco structure. It is described as dry, structured and juicy, without being over-concentrated. International critics have recognised the wine, with scores in the 90 to 94 point range, but at Drankenshop Broekmans we mainly value it for its sense of place: a Treiso cru with freshness, depth and the framework to continue developing.

As these are the last bottles, it is also a fine opportunity to approach a Barbaresco from 2015 with some bottle age already behind it. It naturally belongs with food that has depth and savoury intensity, such as beef, lamb, game, pasta or mushroom dishes. If the wine still feels firm, aeration or decanting is a sensible choice.

The aroma brings together red cherry, wild strawberry, blueberry and pomegranate, lifted by iris, mint and cinnamon. Beneath that fruitier opening are more savoury and earthy tones: smoke, leather, juniper, soil, minerality and occasional hints of coffee or toast.

On the palate it is dry and structured, with juicy cherry fruit held in place by lively acidity. The tannins are fine yet clearly present, very much in the nebbiolo frame, giving the wine grip and persistence. The finish carries red fruit, spice, a light smoky edge and a saline-mineral impression.