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Renato Ratti Barolo Serradenari 2020

$17999
Use code 10OFF to get 10% off 12+ bottles
Serradenari is Ratti's answer to a warming Piedmont. It's a Barolo from the highest part of La Morra, at almost 500 metres, where the height and good sun let the family pick later than in their Annunziata vineyards. The fruit comes from Ratti's Cascina Sorello estate: about 4.5 hectares of 20- to 40-year-old vines facing south and south-west in a natural amphitheatre that looks out at the Alps. The cuvée is brand new (2019 was the first vintage), so this 2020 is only the second time Ratti has bottled it. That's a chance to get in early on a site that could matter more with every hot summer. Ratti's own description is a Barolo with more "edge" than its others that still tastes clearly of La Morra. Ratti's usual approach for Serradenari mixes old and new: typically three to four weeks on the skins in stainless steel, including a traditional submerged-cap maceration, then about two years split between barriques and 25-hectolitre casks, and another year in bottle. The label shows the local noble family's coat of arms, a black hawk on gold, with a Latin motto that means "You tried me, you knew me." That's good advice for a cuvée this young.

Shipping

Every step of the journey is managed to uphold the integrity of each bottle.

  • Nationwide Access: Flat-rate shipping available to most U.S. states with delivery in 3-5 business days.
  • Temperature-Monitored Shipping: We closely monitor weather conditions and make informed decisions to ensure shipments travel safely, with insulated packaging and refrigerated transport available when required.
  • Wine-Specific Protective Packaging: Specialized materials designed to maintain label integrity and prevent breakage during transit.
  • Provenance Assured: All wines are maintained in climate-controlled conditions at our shop until the moment of dispatch.

Returns & Exchanges

We stand behind every bottle we sell.

  • If the wine is less than 10 years old and it is corked, you may return it to us for a full refund or exchange within 60 days of purchase. You must show us proof of purchase. We understand that you may not live near a shop and that it is difficult to ship open bottles of wine to us, so if there's any problem feel free to Contact Us and we'll work it out.
  • For wines older than 10 years, the consumer bears the risk of a faulty cork, but we accept returns of older bottles if the wine is faulty as a result of improper storage. Please come by the store or Contact Us if there is a problem.
  • We may, at our discretion and to the extent permitted by law, accept returns of unopened wines within 30 days of purchase if they were properly stored by the purchaser, subject to a 15% re-stocking fee.

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Saturday: 12pm - 5pm

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Email: help@flatiron-wines.com
Phone: (415) 780-1405


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Antonio Galloni

94 points

"The 2020 Barolo Serradenari is complex and dynamic in the glass. Macerated wild cherry, menthol, spice, leather and tobacco are beautifully amplified in this expressive, virile Barolo with notable structure. Deceptive in its mid-weight build, the 2020 certainly packs a punch." —Antonio Galloni

Robert Parker

94 points

"This is a newish addition to the Ratti portfolio that ages for one year in barrique and one year in botte. The 2020 Barolo Serradenari (with 5,000 bottles produced) has quite a few themes to propose. One is sweet cherry fruit, another recalls mineral or iron ore, and you also get grilled herb and laurel leaf. Added to that is a dusty character of toasted chestnut shell. The vines are planted on typical bluish marl Tortoniano soils found in this area of La Morra." —Monica Larner

Wine Spectator

93 points

"Mentholated cherry and wet hay comes to mind tasting this dense, taut and linear red. Tar and underbrush accents add detail as this powers its way to the long finish."

Kerin O'Keefe

96 points

"Ratti’s beautiful 2020 Serradenari has captivating aromas of forest berry, iris, menthol and spice. It’s sheer finesse, delivering flavors of juicy strawberry, pomegranate, white pepper, clove and licorice accompanied by elegant, fine-grained tannins. Made with grapes cultivated over 500m above sea level, it has great energy and freshness. Drink 2028–2035." —Kerin O'Keefe

More about Ratti

The wines of Renato Ratti encompass a perfect combination of the ancient traditions of The Langhe and the more recent accomplishments of the modern era. Renato was born in Piedmont and his family has deep roots in the area, but they were not wine producers. After he graduated from the university in Alba with a degree in oenology he went to Brazil to work for the Cinzano spirits company in Sao Paulo.

Upon returning to Piedmont in 1965 he purchased his first vineyard in Barolo and over the next few years he and his nephew Massimo Martinelli developed the winemaking techniques that helped to modernize the production of Barolo. These include controlling the temperature during fermentation and reducing the amount of time the juice is macerated on the skins.

However they continued to use large, mostly neutral oak barrels for the aging process and at the same time Renato was key in helping to identify the distinct terroirs and microclimates that delineate all the different vineyard crus in Barolo. When Renato died sadly and unexpectedly in 1988 his son Pietro took over and continued the traditions his father had begun.

Indeed, during the ‘90’s when the infamous “modern vs. traditional” Barolo wars were happening, Pietro continued to make their wines like Renato, right down the middle of the stylistic preferences. This continues to this day and is now perfectly in line with the prevailing attitude in Barolo of respecting tradition without losing sight of innovation.

Both Renato and Pietro have been tireless promoters of the Langhe region and its winemaking history. They helped to establish the Albeisa Consorzio to promote the traditional bottle shape as a standard. They created the first maps of the MGA, or cru vineyard parcels in the Langhe. Pietro was until recently the president of the Langhe Wine Consorzio. The contributions to the success of Barolo and Piedmontese wines on the global scale is immense.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Nebbiolo

  • Vintage

    2020

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Traditional

  • Style

    Earthy , Minerally

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Full Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Leg of lamb roasted on a spit with rosemary and garlic; a thick grilled rib-eye or bistecca; pappardelle with braised wild boar ragù; roast venison loin; a plate of aged Castelmagno or Toma piemontese.

Tasting Profile

Expect the perfumed, elegant side of Barolo that La Morra is known for: red cherry, dried flowers, violets and dried herbs, with a touch of spice from time in barrique and large cask. The high-altitude site typically adds bright acidity and a tauter edge to Nebbiolo's grippy tannins. The finish is long and savoury, with the structure to age.