This historic family-owned estate is named after its founder Cesare Pio, who established the business in 1881. The winery is based in Alba, in the heart of Piemonte and is now run by Federica Boffa and Cesare Benvenuto, the fifth generation of the family. Pio Cesare developed Barolo’s reputation overseas in the 1950s by being one of the first producers to export the wine to the UK. The founder’s great grandson Pio Boffa was deeply convinced of the importance of cultivating and growing owned land to produce high quality wines and played a key role in the acquisition of vineyards in the same locations where Cesare Pio used to buy his grapes from. Today Pio Cesare owns 70 hectares in the hills of Barolo and Barbaresco and makes wines in a style that manages to balance the best of the old with the best of the new. The estate includes most of the municipalities in the Barolo and Barbaresco areas.
The grapes for Piodiles are sourced from family-owned Mosconi vineyard in Monforte d’Alba.
The grapes were picked in small baskets, then softly pressed at low temperature. The fermentation started in stainless steel tanks and finished in French oak barriques, of which one third new.
A very well balanced vintage with long sun-hours and the desired amount of rainfall especially after two years of water shortage that put the vines under considerable stress. Summer was marked by two heatwaves at the end of June and at the end of July. September began with hail causing some damage fortunately localized. This resulted in a slight drop in production volumes but the fruit was of really good quality.
Burgundian in style, this superior Chardonnay shows complexity on the nose and palate. Notes of apple, citrus, stone fruit and vanilla. It is full-bodied and creamy with ripe fruit and an attractive minerality and freshness on the finish.
Turbot, sea bass, veal chops, butternut squash and sage ravioli, lobster, scallops, roast chicken, guinea fowl.
Serve at 12-14°C.
“This is a layered and beautiful chardonnay with wonderful character. Full-bodied, deep and focused. Love the phenolic tension and seriousness. Cooked apples and pineapples and hints of vanilla and cream. Drink or hold.”, 95 poinyts, James Suckling
Langhe DOC, Piemonte
100% Chardonnay
Natural cork
Yes
Yes
