Italy · Piedmont

Renato Ratti

Renato Ratti is one of Barolo's most historically significant estates and producers. Renato Ratti himself was not only a winemaker but an internationally recognized authority on the Langhe who produced the definitive 1970s map classifying Barolo's crus — a document that predated and influenced the official MGA system established in the 2000s. His Abbazia dell'Annunziata winery in La Morra has operated since 1965, and after Renato's death in 1988, his son Pietro continued the estate with consistent quality. The portfolio centers on three distinct Barolo expressions: Marcenasco (a La Morra blend averaging $80 across 103 lots), Conca (a specific La Morra MGA averaging $66 across 25 lots), and Rocche dell'Annunziata (averaging $74 across 13 lots). The 2005 is the most traded vintage for the Marcenasco. All are produced in a moderately traditional style: maceration and aging protocols that emphasize the aromatic elegance associated with La Morra's more calcareous-clay soils rather than the structural power of Serralunga. At auction, 282 lots average $77 per bottle with a ceiling of $935 for exceptional library verticals in large format. Ratti's reputation as Barolo's cartographer — combined with consistent winemaking quality across 60 years of estate production — sustains collector interest across multiple cuvees and vintage depth in the Piedmont secondary market.