Domenico Clerico : Barolo 2019

Tasting Notes and Recommendations for Domenico Clerico’s 2019 Barolo

Tasting

Appearance

The wine shows an intense ruby-garnet hue, characteristic of young Nebbiolo, with a depth of color that attests to full phenolic extraction and suggests excellent aging potential.

Nose

The bouquet reveals remarkable aromatic complexity. First impressions unveil pronounced notes of ripe red cherries and red stone fruits, alongside fresh floral elements reminiscent of rose petals and subtle hints of violet. With aeration, the nose develops elegant secondary layers of fine spices including black pepper and licorice, followed by sophisticated tertiary components of dried herbs, leather, and mineral nuances that herald the wine’s ability to evolve over several decades.

Palate

On the palate, the wine offers a full-bodied structure with remarkably refined tannins, reflecting the cool growing season and a carefully managed extraction approach. The tannic texture shows fine-grained precision rather than roughness, attributable to the complete phenolic ripeness achieved in the 2019 vintage. Acidity remains notably high, bringing lively freshness and structural definition that keeps the wine from feeling heavy despite its generous body. The fruit flavors echo the nose, with a particular emphasis on red cherry and red plum, then shifting mid-palate toward darker berry profiles suggesting blackberry and blackcurrant. Added notes of anise, licorice, and subtle balsamic suggestions build satisfying complexity, delivering depth and sophistication. The finish is especially long and persistent, holding a distinct flavor impression for thirty seconds or more.

Food and wine pairings

This 2019 Barolo pairs exceptionally well with a wide range of dishes. Brasato al Barolo—beef braised in Barolo with vegetables—makes an almost poetic match, where the wine’s fruit and acidity complement the braise’s rich, savory umami components. Roasted red meats including beef ribs, roast beef, and similar proteins benefit from the wine’s structure and acidity. Game meats such as venison, wild boar, duck, and similar proteins make excellent pairings. Aged cheeses from Piedmont, particularly Castelmagno and similar Alpine varieties with considerable complexity, harmonize beautifully. Truffle-based dishes—especially the famous Alba white truffles—represent the most luxurious pairing expression.

Serving and cellaring

Domenico Clerico’s 2019 Barolo reaches its optimal serving temperature between 16 and 18°C. The wine benefits substantially from aeration by decanting for at least one to two hours before serving, a practice that allows youthful tannins to soften slightly and aromatic compounds to fully unfold. The wine shows remarkable versatility over time. Upon release, the 2019 already displays sufficient openness and fruit expression to be enjoyed right away. However, it also offers genuine aging potential through around 2035, with an optimal drinking window extending from approximately 2024 to 2035.

A Monforte d'Alba Barolo Combining Refined Power and Piedmont Elegance

The estate

Founded in 1976 when Domenico Clerico took over the family estate, the Domenico Clerico winery established itself as one of the most transformative figures in Italian wine history. Domenico, a central figure in the “Barolo Boys” movement, fundamentally reshaped Barolo’s production philosophy by balancing tradition and innovation. After his passing in 2017, the estate has been led by his wife, Giuliana Viberti—his indispensable partner since 1976—and his niece. Technical leadership is entrusted to Oscar Arrivabene, cellar master and general manager. Today, the estate spans around 21 hectares of vineyards across Monforte d'Alba and Serralunga d'Alba in Piedmont, producing approximately 110,000 bottles annually. The estate focuses exclusively on three Piedmontese grape varieties: dolcetto, Barbera d'Alba, and Nebbiolo, and exports to more than 40 countries.

The vineyard

Domenico Clerico’s 2019 Barolo comes exclusively from vineyards in Monforte d'Alba, one of the 11 communes authorized to produce Barolo DOCG, located on the southern edge of the appellation. The specific parcels contributing to this expression are managed with meticulous attention, with selective hand harvesting carried out at optimal ripeness. Nebbiolo vines planted between 1968 and 2005 at elevations ranging from 330 to 380 meters provide the fruit, with vine ages spanning from roughly fifteen to more than fifty years. The Monforte d'Alba terroir is defined by distinctive geological formations dominated by fossil-rich Sant'Agata marls interspersed with clay and sandy soils. This specific soil composition gives Nebbiolo grown in the area a distinctive expression marked by powerful tannic structure, incisive minerality, and extraordinary aging capacity. The east and southeast exposures of the main parcels ensure optimal sunlight and beneficial ventilation patterns essential for the full phenolic ripening of Nebbiolo, a famously demanding variety.

The vintage

The 2019 vintage stems from a growing season marked by conditions that producers and critics unanimously described as exemplary for qualitative expression, earning recognition as a classic vintage representing the appellation’s highest standard. The season began with a drier-than-normal winter, followed by substantial rainfall in April and May that replenished soil moisture reserves. Flowering in May brought significant precipitation that reduced overall yields by around 15% to 30%, a result that effectively improved quality parameters by increasing the concentration of the remaining fruit. Spikes of high temperatures occurred in late June and early July, but these potentially damaging conditions were mitigated by adequate underground moisture reserves and a crucial cooling trend beginning in August. September proved decisive for the final quality expression, delivering warm days ideally alternating with cool nights—precisely the diurnal temperature swings essential for developing aromatic complexity, achieving full sugar accumulation, and building properly ripened tannin compounds in Nebbiolo berries. Harvest took place from mid-October through late October, reflecting a later maturity than in recent vintages and recalling the harvest timing of celebrated years such as 2016, 2005, and 2004.

Winemaking and aging

After careful hand sorting at harvest and destemming, the grapes undergo spontaneous fermentation using indigenous yeast populations naturally present on the grape skins. Maceration lasts from twenty to thirty days, allowing extended skin contact that extracts essential color compounds, tannic structure, and aromatic precursors found in the skins and seeds. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, enabling precise management. Malolactic fermentation—during which sharp malic acid is converted by bacteria into softer lactic acid—finishes over the winter months following the vintage. After malolactic fermentation and the bulk of primary development are complete, the 2019 Barolo is aged for an extended period of eighteen to thirty months in a combination of French oak barriques and large wooden casks (tonneaux and large Slavonian oak botti). The barriques used are 80% new and 20% previously used for the estate’s standard Barolo, contributing vanilla, spice, and subtle oak-derived tannins that integrate with the wine’s primary fruit character. The Slavonian oak used in the large casks, by contrast, imparts minimal wood-derived flavor while allowing gentle micro-oxidative exposure that softens tannic austerity and encourages the development of tertiary flavors. After barrel aging, the wines generally rest in bottle for further development before release.

Grape variety

This Piedmont wine is 100% Nebbiolo.