Domenico Clerico : Ciabot Mentin 2021

Characteristics and Tasting Advice for the Ciabot Mentin 2021 from Domenico Clerico

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a ruby red hue with garnet highlights, expressing elegance and definition.

Nose

The bouquet is extremely precise and finely chiseled, bringing together notes of blackcurrant, wild berries, aromatic herbs, blue flowers, and crushed stone. Secondary nuances of delicate violets, potpourri, dried cherries, pomegranate, chocolate, licorice, and blood orange add complexity, alongside Alpine spices and pronounced minerality.

Palate

On the palate, the wine shows a medium-bodied profile rather than massive density, reflecting the vineyard’s cool exposure and high elevation. It unfolds with vibrant energy, well-balanced tannins, and layered complexity. Flavors of lightly dried cherry, dried flowers, and spice evolve toward red berries, rhubarb, cranberries, mint, cinnamon, and orange zest. The mineral signature leans toward iron ore and rusty nail. The tannins are firm and will need additional time in bottle to fully integrate. Acidity brings fantastic energy and a salinity that cuts through the wine’s inherent richness. The finish lingers with notable persistence, revealing hints of apricot or citrus.

Food and Wine Pairings

This Barolo pairs beautifully with complex braised meat dishes, notably veal cooked in wine or beef served with rich reductions and complementary herbs. Wild mushroom-based dishes, such as a porcini or truffle risotto, or polenta with a wild mushroom ragù, also create remarkable harmonies. For cheeses, opt for aged Piedmont varieties such as Grana Padana or Castelmagno, whose umami character and crystalline texture complement the wine’s aromatic dimensions.

Serving and Cellaring

The Ciabot Mentin 2021 benefits from generous aeration. If you plan to open it soon, give it a full day of air; otherwise, keep it for around ten years and enjoy it over the following twenty years. Critics recommend a drinking window running approximately from 2027 to around 2048.

A Barolo from Monforte d'Alba combining aromatic precision with Piedmont minerality

The estate

Founded in 1979, the Domenico Clerico estate now spans 21 hectares of vineyards across the most prestigious crus of Monforte d'Alba and Serralunga d'Alba, in Piedmont. Domenico Clerico, an iconic figure of the “Barolo Boys” movement, revolutionized the region by favoring single-parcel vinifications and the expression of individual terroirs. Since his passing in July 2017, the estate has been run by his wife Giuliana and his niece, with Oscar Arrivabene as winemaker and managing director. Domenico Clerico’s philosophy is built on a fundamental belief: the quality of the vines is the only factor that ultimately determines a wine’s potential.

The vineyard

The Ciabot Mentin vineyard covers around 5.5 hectares within the MGA Ginestra in Monforte d'Alba, in the Barolo appellation. The site sits at elevations ranging from 390 to 420 meters, with a mainly eastern exposure that creates cool conditions and extended ripening periods. The vines, planted in 1978, are around 43 to 45 years old at the time of the 2021 vintage. The soil is made up of ancient geological formations derived from the “Marne di Sant'Agata fossils”, a sandy-marl assemblage from the Tortonian, representing marine deposits accumulated around 10 to 12 million years ago. The specific composition includes approximately 32.5% sand, 46.1% silt, and 21.4% clay, with a high proportion of active limestone. The estate practices organic farming with deliberately modest yields of around 50 to 60 hectoliters per hectare.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage is considered one of the most exceptional of the millennium, alongside 2001, 2010, and 2016. This year stands out for its fruit intensity, acidity, and tannic structure that support long cellaring, while already offering fine elegance and complexity today. Compared with the more austere 2019 vintage or the more open 2020, 2021 is the most harmonious and consistent of the group, pointing to an optimal balance between approachability and aging potential.

Winemaking and aging

The Ciabot Mentin 2021 benefits from an extended maceration of 20 to 25 days between the grape skins and the fermenting juice, allowing for substantial extraction of color, tannins, and mineral expression. Aging takes place for 16 months in French oak barrels, with a traditional blend of 80% new barrels and 20% previously used barrels, to bring oak influence without overpowering the wine. Regular tastings make it possible to select the best barrels for the final blend. After barrel aging, the wine undergoes additional bottle aging of more than 2 years before release.

Grape variety

100% nebbiolo