Tasting Notes

“A classic style Barolo. Excellent structure, harmony and elegance. Soft tannins and balanced fruit. Approachable, but with a very long ageing potential. Barolo is a great wine, which should not be described as a “basic” or “regular” Barolo, simply because it does not have any additional indication on the label.”

The Nebbiolo Grape (grape of Barolo): “Nebbiolo originated in Piedmont in Italy, where it remains the region’s most important red grape. Its name comes from the Italian word nebbia, which means fog, a feature of the hills where the grape traditionally grows. Nebbiolo is thick-skinned, early-budding and late-ripening; it needs long periods of sunshine to ripen fully and is often planted on south- or southwest-facing hillsides for maximum exposure. The best examples come from calcareous marl vineyards, with some planted in sandy soils.”

94 Points James Suckling – “Aromas of spicy red cherries on a loamy underlay, together with savory twists of forest floor and walnut shell. Some orange rind, too. Full-bodied with very fine, firm and silky tannins and lots of long, focused fruit and spice flavor. Good structure for 2018. Needs a year or two to fully knit together. Best from 2024.”

93 Points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate – “The 2018 Barolo opens to ripe aromas of dried plum and tobacco. This vintage lacks some of the complexity of a cooler growing season, but these results are far from monochromatic. Those tobacco aromas cede to cedar, earth, forest floor and hints of shaved truffle.”

91 Points Decanter – “The new selection ‘Pio’ from Pio Cesare is a blend of the different MGAs of the estate. Classic bright garnet in the glass, the wine is focused on cherry kernels with tar, violet, a bit of camphor and sweet spices. The attack is firm and crisp, introducing a brilliant crunchiness on the palate along with grainy tannins which stretch to a slightly austere finish. It lacks a bit of pulp – a signature of the 2018 vintage – but this is one of the best village-level Barolo this year.”

91 Points Wine Enthusiast – “Underbrush, hazelnut and new leather aromas come to the forefront along with a whiff of eucalyptus. Linear and already accessible, the palate offers toasted nut, dried cherry and licorice before a coffee close. Polished, refined tannins provide support. Drink through 2028.”

90 Points Wine Spectator – “A spicy red, with cherry and floral aromas and flavors picking up accents of wild herbs and iron. Trim and balanced, ending with a light dusting of tannins and fine length. Best from 2024 through 2038. 5,000 cases made, 2,000 cases imported.”