The business was founded by Riccardo Ceretto in 1937, principally as a négociant in Alba. He was joined by his sons Bruno and Marcello in the 1960s; wanting to make their own wines, they began to buy premium land in Barolo and Barbaresco, and were among the very first in the region to see the potential of single-vineyard wines. Bruno’s children, Frederico and Roberta, and Marcello’s, Alessandro and Lisa, joined in the 1990s.

After a period of change and experimentation, a particular style began to appear in 2010, using a shorter skin contact and a mix of barrique and small bottle for a supple but precise expression of Nebbiolo. The family are also involved in various artistic and heritage projects, including the rejuvenation of the famous Piedmont hazelnuts and two restaurants in Alba.

The skill with which the Ceretto family chose their vineyards in the 1960s is further endorsed by their activity in Barbaresco. Today, they own a prime site in Asili – one of the region’s greatest vineyards – and Bernadot, the best site of the Treiso district. A small parcel of Gallina in Neive was acquired in 2017, to further enhance their representation of the different communes in the region. Barbaresco is traditionally felt to be a little warmer than Barolo, and the Ceretto 2019s certainly have the flesh and charm to complement the more coiled style of the vintage.

Barbaresco DOCG is located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, encompassing the communes of Barbaresco, Neive, Treiso, and part of Alba. The appellation was granted DOCG status in 1980, making it one of Italy's most prestigious wine designations. The vineyards sit on steep hillsides at elevations between 150-400 meters, benefiting from favorable southern and southwestern exposures in the Langhe hills.

The region's continental climate features hot summers and cold winters, with significant diurnal temperature variations that help preserve acidity in the grapes. The soils consist primarily of calcareous clay and sandstone formations from the Miocene era, known locally as "terre bianche." Nebbiolo is the sole permitted grape variety for Barbaresco DOCG, and wines must be aged for a minimum of 26 months, with at least 9 months in wood. Riserva wines require 50 months of aging, including 9 months in wood.

Barbaresco wines are characterized by their elegant, refined style compared to their more powerful neighbor Barolo. The wines typically display intense aromatics of roses, tar, and red fruits, with firm tannins that soften with age. The terroir imparts distinctive mineral notes and bright acidity, creating wines with excellent aging potential that can evolve for decades. While sharing Nebbiolo's inherent structure and complexity, Barbaresco tends to be more approachable in youth while maintaining the grape's signature combination of power and finesse.