A family affair since 1881, Pio Cesare’s ‘classico’ Barolo and Barbaresco from the benchmark 2021 vintage are utterly brilliant – and a snapshot of a near-perfect year.
Their medium-bodied 2021 Barbaresco is ‘gorgeous’, says Vinous. It has alluring dark fruit and racy yet silky tannins that ‘wrap it all up in style’. This gracious wine is a tad more delicate than the Barolo, but only just.
‘Thanks to cooler conditions in 2021, these wines mark a return to classical Nebbiolo.’
– Wine Advocate
‘The 2021 Barolo has a lot to offer,’ continues Vinous. Powerful with a dark core, it’s energetic and vital with refined tannins and a ‘finish that goes on and on’ (James Suckling). Like the Barbaresco, it will be drinking beautifully in a few years, but will also reward patient collectors for at least two decades.
Pio Cesare are the classicists of Alba, making Barolo and Barbaresco in a single cellar because they predate the DOCG of both appellations. In addition to the exceptional vintage, the complexity of these two top-tier Nebbiolos comes from the traditional blending of the family’s finest sites.
Tasting Notes:
Pio Cesare Barbaresco Pio 2021
‘The aromas of iodine and oyster shell really come through together with black cherries and dark brambleberries. Medium body with firm and racy tannins that run the length of the wine. March 2025 release. Drinkable but even better in three or four years.’ – jamessuckling.com, 96/100
‘This is very powerful and structured, with aromas of black truffles, graphite and hints of dried thyme and cedar. Medium- to full-bodied and chewy yet polished. Hints of terra cotta and dark fruit. The finish goes on and on. March 2024 release.’ – jamessuckling.com, 96/100
