Cerequio, situated in the communes of La Morra and Barolo, is consistently and universally considered to be one of the greatest and most prestigious crus of the Langhe, sharing this status only with the great Cannubi vineyard, situated entirely in the commune of Barolo. First documented in the community records of the village of La Morra in 1200, the name Cerequio occurs again in 1340 and then in 1477 in medieval viticultural archives of the period. Lorenzo Fantini's seminal research of 1879 once more confirmed Cerequio's supremacy among the vineyards of the Langhe.

Loosely translated from the local dialect, the term "sorì" means "a south-facing hillside," but the original sense was that of the precise location on a slope where the sun first melted the snow each spring. The Sorì Cerequio lies at the southern limit of La Morra on a sheer hillside of due east to southeast exposure averaging nearly 1,200 feet in altitude. For this panoramic vantage point, overlooking the communes of Barolo, Castiglione and Monforte, it is also known as "the balcony of the Langhe." As is characteristic of soils lying to the western side of Barolo's soil barrier, composition is calcerous marl of marine origin, but of a variety belonging to the Miocene strata called "tortonian," which is slightly bluish in color due to its extremely high content of magnesium and manganese. These soils yield wines of extraordinary fragrance, elegance and complexity.

Michele Chiarlo is proprietor of 15 of a total of 45 acres in the Cerequio vineyard planted in 1972, which he has cultivated directly since 1987. The vines are consistently pruned, thinned and minimally treated to ensure a restricted yield and fruit of great concentration and quality; further selection at harvest takes place as appropriate to the vintage. Fermentation is carried out in contact with the skins to a point dependent upon degree of extraction of polyphenols and tannins, usually a minimum of ten days. Bottling takes place after a two-year period in 5,000-litre Allier oak casks. In time, Cerequio develops an impressive aromatic palette that is both complex and aristocratic. In the mouth it is ample and rich yet delicate, with seductive ripe fruit and spice notes and an underlying tannic power of great subtlety, ending in a finish of exceptional length and refinement.

D.O.C.G. Barolo Riserva regulations apply but actual production statistics are considerably more restricted for this wine.