Pio Cesare Mosconi Barolo DOCG 2019

For 141 years, the storied cellars of Pio Cesare have served as the cradle for their exceptional wines, nestled in the heart of central Alba. These remarkable creations are nurtured by vineyards primarily rooted in the renowned terrains of Barolo and Barbaresco. At the helm of this esteemed estate today are fifth-generation leaders Federica Boffa and her cousin Cesare Benvenuto. They have taken up the mantle following the untimely passing of Pio Boffa in 2021, a visionary who had been the face of Pio Cesare for four decades. The winemaking ethos here is rooted in sustainability and steeped in tradition, yielding wines that exude elegance, structural finesse, and unadulterated purity.

Pio Cesare's distinctive winemaking approach champions minimal intervention, allowing for the nuanced expression of flavors. This unwavering commitment to the distinct character of each regional wine shapes their decisions in the cellar. From brief macerations to separate lot fermentations, astute barrel and large cask aging selections, and bottling schedules calibrated to match each wine's optimal structure—the process revolves around the vineyard's essence rather than fleeting market trends. This deliberate methodology empowers Pio Cesare to craft wines of diverse weights, age-worthiness, and immediate drinkability, all dictated by the vineyard's inherent identity.

Mosconi, situated within the Monforte d’Alba commune, is heralded as one of the true "grand crus," within one of Barolo's most esteemed domains. Its soils and microclimates orchestrate the perfect symphony for Nebbiolo, granting it the stage to flourish, resulting in Barolo styles endowed with commanding structure, astonishingly distinct aromas, and opulent tannins that are both approachable and mature, velvety yet sumptuous.

This bottling is an emblematic single-vineyard Barolo, its genesis traced to the oldest Nebbiolo vines (planted in 1947 and 1971) within the illustrious Mosconi vineyard, perched at an elevation of 390 meters in Monforte d’Alba. Harvesting Nebbiolo commenced in mid-October, echoing the hallmark traits of a 'classic' vintage—tannins of exceptional ripeness and equilibrium—prophesying wines of enduring structure and ageability. At the winery's venerable cellars in the heart of Alba, the grapes are treated gently, softly crushed and destemmed. The ensuing fermentation takes place in two stainless steel tanks over a span of ten days. The meticulously managed cap of skins is frequently submerged, reaching its apex at 86°F. This immersion extends for over 30 days, deepening the interaction with the skins.

The Pio Cesare Barolo Mosconi is a testament to the ancient Nebbiolo vines carefully selected from the family's Mosconi vineyard in Monforte d’Alba—a terrain acclaimed for its complexity, elegance, and longevity. The wine undergoes fermentation within stainless steel tanks, undergoing an extended maceration of 30 days at elevated temperatures. It then matures gracefully in substantial French and Slavonian oak "botti" for a minimum of two years, with a smaller portion aging in barriques.