One of the great historic wineries in Piedmonte, Pio Cesare remarkably continues to work and operate in the same building that he bought in 1881. Now in its 5th generation, Federica Rosy Boffa runs her family's winery along with her cousin Cesare Benvenuto. Born in 1997—an iconic vintage in Piemonte— she is the only child of Pio Boffa. After completing her studies in Business Administration at the University of Turin, Federica decided to join the family business “full-time” and has since traveled regularly to more than 50 countries around the world. I recently met with her in Bellevue and tasted through her beautiful new Cru wines from the 2020 vintage.
She stated “It can be difficult working in the old town center and all of the other wineries have moved on the hillside. We have decided to remain because you can breathe a particular atmosphere and the winery was built on the ancient Roman walls as this town was built by the romans many years ago. There are many traces of the Romans in our winery. We are protecting the historical heritage of our winery and we are the only winery that is allowed to use the crest of the city of Alba on the label.” The historical significance of the brand is apparent, as Boffa notes “Of course we are very proud to carry the crest of the city on our labels but it is a huge responsibility when presenting the wines we are representing the city and need to be at our best to represent our city in a good way.”
Boffa too maintains a large responsibility, noting that as the brand’s 5th generation I represent that together with my cousin. I am leading the winery after my father passed away three years ago. He was an important person for our family that marked a new moment for our wine and to be projected into the future. Thanks to him we started the process of acquiring vineyards and we moved from a negotiant to growing 150 acres on the hills of Barolo and Barbaresco. And thanks to him we started to make single vineyards. The three wines we taste today were created by him.”
Her father also was the first to start growing Chardonnay in the region “And today we are working on following his steps and trying to carry the tradition but also innovating a bit. We started many projects in the past few years including building a new portion of the winery. That will be dedicated for logistics and the bottling line and then we will dedicate to white wine. Now it is 25% of our production, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc and Cortese.” They are now making two different Chardonnay bottlings, one that is barrel-fermented which is produced in a limited amount. Another wine is a Chardonnay-Sauvignon Blanc blend which is non-traditional.
The wines I tasted were from the 2020 vintage, as well as one poured from the restaurant, a 2018. The 2020 wines were all fabulous. I love the 2020 entry level Barolo (OB, 95) and Barbaresco (OB, 95) which are both very fleshy and ripe, with some fantastic aging potential. I can’t wait to see where these are in 10 plus years. A wine that quite simply flirts with perfection is the stunning 2020 Pio Cesare ‘Mosconi’ Barolo (OB, 99) which takes on a sensational range of flavors and aromatics. It is a total stunner of a wine. Learn more about this famed house at piocesare.com and here are my reviews of the new Pio Cesare wines.
2018 Pio Cesare Barolo- Coming rom a slightly cooler vintage, the 2018 Pio Cesare comes from five different villages in the region. Right areaway this shows beautiful red rose petals, tar and tobacco leaf with shades of exotic spices and pretty red fruits. The palate is soft and refined with elegant tannins and a smooth mouthfeel. Kumquat rind and red raspberry tones combine with tart cranberry and dusty soils on the palate. Drink 2024-2045- 95
2020 Pio Cesare Barolo- Generous and broad-shouldered, the 2020 Pio Cesare is going to cellar magically for twenty plus years. Once on the nose the classic rose petals and dusty soil tones offer beauty, alongside citrus zest and shades of bergamot. The palate is soft and refined with firm tannins that frame a gorgeous core of red fruits that mingle well with rocky soils and good length. Give this beauty an hour or two in the decanter if consuming now. Drink 2025-2045- 95
2020 Pio Cesare Barbaresco- A fabulous Barbaresco from this vintage, the 2020 shows immediately gratifying refined tannins that connect with blood orange zest, copious minerals and damp earth notes. With more air this becomes even more gratifying to consume with very pretty red fruits that parade with the bright sense of underlying tension. Finishing long with generous red fruits, this edition seems to be drinking even better than the 2019. Like the 2020 Barolo, give this some air if consuming in its heady youth. Drink 2025-2042- 95
2020 Pio Cesare ‘Il Bricco’ Barbaresco- This 2020 Barbaresco comes from one of the highest point in the Barbaresco region. This site has large diurnal shifts, as old Nebbiolo vines are planted at this steep site. Damp earth and wet volcanic stones combine with shades of cardamom laced red currants and pomegranate seed. The palate is very lithe and beautifully textured with fantastic weight and underlying finesse. A pure core of red fruits greet you on the palate, alongside pipe tobacco and leather notes. A total stunner, enjoy this beautiful wine over the next twenty years. Drink 2025-2050- 96
2020 Pio Cesare ‘Ornato’ Barolo- The stunning new 2020 ‘Ornato’ comes from this single vineyard in the southern portion of Barolo. This is a slightly warmer site that has long sun exposure, with south and southeastern exposure. Citrus rind, pomegranate seed and suggestions of red cherry candy all mark the nose alongside garrigue and stony undertones. The palate shows a silky mouthfeel with wonderful texture and weight. The palate is plush with refined tannins and serious underlying finesse. Finishing very long with pretty red fruits and wet stone, this is a masterful, wow-factor effort that is showing beautifully right now and will live on for decades to come. Drink 2025-2055- 98
2020 Pio Cesare ‘Mosconi’ Barolo- This wine was first made in 2015 and comes from a 10 hectare site planted also to Barbera and Chardonnay. The 2020 Barolo comes from Nebbiolo vines that date all the way back to the 1940s. Balsamic vinegar and black raspberry notes combine with flinty accents and worn leather on the nose. The palate is beautifully textured, with fantastic weight and incredible elegance. Kumquat zest and pretty red fruits with violets combine with suggestions of salty soils on the palate. A total head-turner, this is already crazy good to consume now. Drink 2025-2050- 99