An uncommon sequence, culminating in Barolo Cerequio 2022, bearing witness to the enduring character of a remarkable hillside
La Morra, April 2026 – Some places, more than others, are able to express a clear identity over time. For the Chiarlo family (link), Cerequio is one of them: a hillside that, vintage after vintage, has shaped a vision of Barolo built on continuity and recognisability. A benchmark within a geography of outstanding vineyards, where Cerequio stands as an ideal peak alongside Cannubi, Asili, Faset and La Court.
Since 1988, Michele Chiarlo has produced Barolo DOCG Cerequio only in vintages deemed worthy of the cru, creating a sequence of thirty vintages that is uncommon within the appellation: a coherent and selective reading of a single vineyard, where each vintage gradually contributes to defining its profile.
“Cerequio is a hillside that has taught us restraint over time. Each vintage adds a layer, but what truly stands out is this place’s ability to maintain a recognisable identity, even across very different conditions. These thirty vintages trace a shared path, allowing us to develop an intimate understanding of every metre of this land,” says Stefano Chiarlo.
“For our family, Cerequio isa dream that has taken shape over time, evolving in many different forms. It embodies a qualitative peak that places us among the most prestigious wine lists in the world and reveals the enduring bond of a Barolo family between past and future,” adds Alberto Chiarlo.
Cerequio: the form and nature of a great cru
“Posizione sceltissima,” wrote Lorenzo Fantini in 1880 in his monograph on viticulture in the province of Cuneo. More than a century later, this definition still precisely captures the essence of Cerequio, one of the most historic and recognised MGAs of Barolo. It is one of the most legible landscapes in the appelation—almost didactic in its clarity—where geology, exposure and balance converge within just a few bends. Included by Renato Ratti among the “First Category” crus in his seminal 1965 map, it is now part of the UNESCO core zone of the Vineyard Landscapes of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato.
Located between La Morra and Barolo, at altitudes ranging from 280 to 420 metres, Cerequio is defined by a precise morphology: a regular, amphitheatre-like basin, sheltered from winds, with gentle slopes and a hamlet at its centre. The cru extends over approximately 24 hectares, with exposures ranging from south-east to south-west. Alongside Michele Chiarlo, other esteemed producers include Roberto Voerzio, Gaja, Vietti and Damilano.
The soils belong to the Tortonian formation and consist of calcareous-clayey marls of marine origin, with a generally alkaline pH and rich in microelements. Among these, magnesium stands out for its significantly higher concentration – up to four times the average found in Barolo soils – contributing to the development of mint and eucalyptus notes, along with a tannic structure that begins firm and evolves over time into a silky texture of notable length and finesse.
In the vineyard, work is based on continuous selection: measured pruning, multi-stage thinning to achieve perfect technological and phenolic ripeness, and strictly manual harvesting. In the cellar, fermentation takes place in 55-hectolitre oak vats with around 20 days of skin contact and gentle cap management using a shower system; malolactic fermentation occurs in tank. The wine then ages for two years in large oak casks, followed by at least 12–18 months in bottle.
Taken together, these thirty vintages offer a tangible perspective on what it means to preserve the identity of a unique terroir, while embracing the expressive nuances of each vintage in the slow evolution of the wine.
Barolo DOCG Cerequio 2022 – the thirtieth vintage
It is within this precisely defined context—where geology, exposure and morphology converge—that the thirtieth vintage of Barolo DOCG Cerequio (link) takes shape. A milestone that goes beyond a numerical sequence, representing instead the synthesis of a path begun in 1988 and built through the rigorous selection of only those vintages deemed worthy of the cru.
The 2022 vintage was marked by a hot and dry growing season, where the sensitivity of the grower and the resilience of the vines proved decisive. A mild, low-rainfall winter was followed by a hot and dry spring and summer, with vegetation advancing by around two weeks. Careful vineyard management, aimed at preserving freshness, combined with an earlier harvest (20–26 September), resulted in perfectly healthy, ripe grapes, maintaining good acidity and an elegant aromatic profile.
The result is a Barolo that fully reflects the character of the cru: broad and expressive, with notes of ripe fruit, mint and eucalyptus. On the palate, it is structured yet harmonious, supported by fine, elegant tannins. An expressive Barolo, already approachable, with silky texture and clear ageing potential.
A cru to experience
Over time, the bond between the Chiarlo family and Cerequio has taken on a broader dimension. Alongside winemaking, a reflection on how to experience the cru has led to the restoration of the hamlet and the creation of Palás Cerequio (link): the first Relais dedicated to Barolo, born from the restoration of an 18th-century complex set among the vineyards.
Here, the cru is no longer only interpreted through wine but becomes a place to inhabit. The experience of Barolo unfolds through landscape, architecture and direct connection with the site, turning a visit into a form of understanding.
“Cerequio started as a dream for us, and over time it’s become a place to live as well,” says Alberto Chiarlo. “Palás grew from the idea of letting people truly step into the cru and understand it – not only through the wine, but through the experience itself, in a continuous exchange between wine, landscape and culture.”
Everything here revolves around wine. The eleven suites – divided between spaces inspired by the elegance of Piedmontese residences and more contemporary environments – translate the geography of crus into architecture. The Caveau houses over 6,000 bottles of Barolo alongside historical documents, while the works of Giancarlo Ferraris guide visitors through a visual journey dedicated to great vineyards.
In recent years, Palás has further developed its cultural approach to hospitality, enriched by new perspectives through recent expansions designed to strengthen the connection with the landscape. Among them, the Sky Bar offers a privileged viewpoint over the Cerequio amphitheatre, allowing guests to experience the cru through both tasting and observation.
Cerequio thus becomes not only a place to interpret, but an experience to inhabit— a way of inhabiting Barolo that restores to the cru its full cultural dimension, shaped by landscape, memory and discovery.
