Wine Advisor
Pio Cesare, Barolo 2015
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
The 2015 Barolo is a beautifully balanced and tight expression of Nebbiolo that hits all the right spots on the palate, from the side of the mouth where you taste the acidity to the back where you get a sense of the wine's structure and integrated tannins. That freshness could pair well with a steak in pepper cream sauce. Long skin maceration times are followed by oak aging, partially in botti with a smaller part in barrique. Some 80,000 bottles were made.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is very smoky and earthy yet clean at the same time. Loads of dark fruit and perfume. Full-bodied with round and wonderfully polished tannins. Fantastic length and precision. A generous yet reserved wine that has so much to give. Can’t wait to taste it on release. Barrel sample.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Complex aromas of smoke, ash and dark fruit with precision and intensity. Layered and gorgeous. Loads of dark fruit and perfume. Full-bodied with round and wonderfully polished tannins. Wonderful length and richness Goes on for minutes. Try in 2023, but already delicious.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2015 Barolo from Pio Cesare is a very pretty wine that captures all of the intrigue of Nebbiolo, especially in its beguiling, racy aromatics. Medium in body yet full in flavor, the straight Barolo is just terrific in 2015. Despite its mid-weight structure, the 2015 has quite a bit of persistence and energy. It is such a pretty and expressive wine.
About the Producer
Located in the Piedmont region of Italy, Pio is one of the oldest wineries in the region and was named one of Wine Spectator's "10 Best Wineries in the World" in 2002. Pio was founded in 1881 by the current owner's great-great-grandfather, Cesare Pio. He was one of the first winemakers and one of the first to adhere to a philosophy of winemaking dedicated to the terroir of the appellation and to the strict demands of quality. Since its foundation, Château Pio has been guided by a commitment to quality that has remained unchanged through four generations. The winery is currently headed by Boffa Pio, a descendant of the family. Today, Pio has over 50 hectares of vineyards in the best areas of Barolo and Barbaresco. In addition to its own vineyards, Bodegas Pio has established long-term partnerships with professional vintners who are responsible for all aspects of the vineyard's viticultural management. In terms of winemaking, Château Piau, under the leadership of its current owner, Boffa Piau, has pioneered the use of stainless steel tanks for the production of its wines. In addition, the winery reduces the amount of time the grapes are macerated on their skins, thus reducing the tannin content of the wine. What's more, the winery's hygiene standards are strictly controlled, resulting in wines that are very pure. Château Piau has a systematic approach to limiting the production of its wines in order to maintain a consistently high quality. 70% of its production is exported. In recent years, the winery has made several major investments in rebuilding the cellars and renovating the winery's equipment: the Roman Empire-era walls remain in place 12 metres underground; new fermenters have been built to take advantage of gravity and a new barrel ageing room has been installed; and new bottling and labelling equipment has been installed.
