A story of a family

When UNESCO added the vineyard landscape of Langhe-Roero to the list of World Heritage Sites in 2014, we saw this as confirmation of an insight that had revealed itself more than half a century earlier. The Ceretto winery was founded in the 1930s: Riccardo Ceretto, who did not own any vineyards, produced wine from grapes he purchased. The turning point came when his sons Bruno and Marcello joined the business, with their innovative thinking for the time: the importance of the soil. Though this seems obvious today, memories of the poverty of rural life in the Langhe region - described so well by Beppe Fenoglio in his novel “La Malora” (“Ruin”) - were still fresh, and Riccardo was reluctant to invest in purchasing land. But Bruno and Marcello had the vineyards of Burgundy in mind, which had been producing excellent wines for over a century thanks to a model that considered the characteristics of each vineyard - the French word cru is still used today. In the 1960s, Bruno and Marcello started mapping out the land that produced the best wines, and buying the vineyards. They would never leave the region again: 2020 was Marcello’s sixtieth grape harvest and he spent it in the vineyards, among the rows of vines that he knows so well, picking grapes and chatting with his fellow harvesters about the rain, the scorching heat, problems affecting the vines, staying out in the countryside until it was time to take the crates full of grapes back to the cellar.
The land that Bruno and Marcello have handed down to their children has been masterfully preserved. With dreams of Burgundy well in the past, our vineyards now stand as a model in the eyes of the world. And so we are looking to the future: our family is a group with a shared vision, we make decisions together, guided by respect for expertise: we give those who have something to contribute - to the company, and to the territory - the tools to achieve that vision.
Every single project we undertake bears our genetic imprint and expresses the same values. Everything is culture: from award-winning gastronomy at Piazza Duomo to traditional Piedmontese cuisine at La Piola, and our art projects. The Chapel by Sol Lewitt and David Tremlett, in a Barolo Brunate vineyard at La Morra, places art in an agricultural landscape, elevating and celebrating it: there is an educational element, not direction from above but contamination from below. The same applies to our pursuit of environmental sustainability in the vineyards and in the cellars: we do not think of ourselves as being in competition with other wine producers, but we take pride in proving that even when you cultivate many hectares you can still respect the environment. Our mission is to open up new paths.

q

‘30 - '60

'70

'80

'90

2000

'10

'20

’30
Riccardo Ceretto, from Valdivilla (hamlet of Santo Stefano Belbo) established the Ceretto Casa Vinicola in Alba. Bruno e Marcello, sons of Riccardo, selected and purchased vineyards in the most sought after locations in the Langhe and Roero, including some of the best crus of Barolo and Barbaresco, for producing and marketing of their wines.

1969 – 1973
The first estate-owned vineyard Bricco Asili in Barbaresco was purchased and the eponymous winery was built.

1976
The winery I Viganioli di Santo Stefano was created for the vinification of Moscato d'Asti.

1978 – 1982
The single-vineyard Bricco Rocche Castiglione Falletto was purchased and on the top of it the winery for the Barolos was built

1982
Debut of Barolo Bricco Rocche.

1985
The Langhe Arneis Blangé is created, the symbolic still white wine of the Ceretto winery.

1989
The company changed its headquarters and moved at Monsordo Bernardina Estate in Alba.

1994
The Relanghe project started to immortalise the Piedmont IGP hazelnuts and one of its symbols: nougat.

1999
The children of Bruno and Marcello joined the company: Lisa, Roberta, Alessandro and Federico.

1999
The Chapel of Barolo was renovated, in the Brunate vineyard in La Morra through the work of artists David Tremlett and Sol LeWitt: first initiative of contemporary art of the family.

2000
The glass Cube was built at Bricco Rocche, now one of the architectural icons of Barolo. 

2003
The Terroirs projects was started thanks to a number of partnerships with famous foreign producers.

2005
The two Restaurants in Alba were opened: La Piola and Piazza Duomo. In 2006, the first Michelin star was awarded for Enrico Crippa for the Piazza Duomo restaurant, and the second in 2009.

2009
The Grape was opened at the Monsordo Bernardina Estate, the welcoming place of the Ceretto family.

2010
The House of the Artist was built, on the hill overlooking the Monsordo Bernardina Estate.

2010-2019
Our passion for contemporary art continues with the organization of annual exhibitions. Anselm Kiefer, Francesco Clemente, Kiki Smith, Ellsworth Kelly, Marina Abramović are among the artists involved.

The projects on wine, fine food, hospitality and art are continually growing.

2012
Enrico Crippa received the third Michelin star. Piazza Duomo was expanded, with the opening of stylish rooms to accommodate restaurant customers.

2015
Starting from this vintage, all our products have obtained organic Certification.

To be continued...