Pio Cesare: Introducing Mosconi

Pio Boffa is the fourth-generation owner of the Pio Cesare estate. He and his relatives are the only winemaking family still based in Alba, the main town that divides the Barolo and Barbaresco zones. Many other wineries were established by growers close to their farms in the surrounding hills.

When he acquired the Mosconi vineyard, for a hefty sum, people took notice with intrigue into what the estate was going to do with the fruit.Pio Cesare already has a long reputation for producing wines from the Barolo and Barbaresco appellations, which usually can be identified by two main traits; incredible freshness allied to an old-school cedar, tobacco and earthy savouriness.This classicism is also reflected in the history of the bottles’ surroundings, lying in the 18th century cellars on Roman foundations. Their other single-vineyard bottling, Ornato, sets a high standard which Mosconi will inevitably be benchmarked against.

Mosconi

In December 2014, just days before his 60th birthday, Boffa acquired a small 9.7ha in the Monforte cru of Mosconi. This was originally supposed to provide fruit for the ‘classic’ Barolo, but a test vinification with his enologist and head winemaker, Paolo Fenocchio – to fully understand the terroir – resulted in the decision to bottle the old-vine fruit as a single-vineyard Barolo.

The Mosconi cru

Widely considered to be an outstanding site, Mosconi is a small cru populated by vineyards owned by some top names, including Conterno Fantino, E Pira & Figli, and Giovanni Rocca.

Location On the eastern slopes of the Monforte d’Alba commune, close to Serralunga d’Alba

Exposure East- to south-facing

Altitude 310-530m

Hectares under vine ~30ha

2015 is the first release of Pio Cesare’s Mosconi, which sits alongside the well-established Ornato bottling from Serralunga. The 2015 vintage has been widely seen as potentially great after a hard 2014.

Barolo 2015 vintage report – Stephen Brook

Neither the Mosconi or the Ornato are shrinking violets but there is certainly enough contrast between the two crus to justify purchasing both. The Mosconi is lighter than the denser Ornato showing more red fruit, but, like its sibling is surprisingly light on its feet for such a substantial wine. The Ornato has been produced for 30 years and the ‘recipe’ has been perfected – Mosconi, will carve its own style and surely only improve as they dial everything in over the next few years.

Tasting the wines of Pio Cesare:

Pio Cesare: Factbox

Founded 1881 by Cesare Pio

Current owners Cesare’s great-grandson Pio Boffa runs the winery along with his cousin Augusto, his nephew Cesare, and his daughter Federica.

Vineyards The estate owns around 70ha in total, including 31.78ha in Barolo and 26.9ha in Barbaresco. The single-vineyard bottlings are made from 16ha in Ornato, Serralunga d’Alba, 9.7ha in Mosconi, Monforte d’Alba and 18ha in Il Bricco, Treiso.

Wines Pio Cesare produces the full gamut of Piedmont wines, from Langhe Chardonnay, Moscato d’Asti and Gavi, to Dolcetto, Barbera, Barolo and Barbaresco. The estate even produces a Barolo Chinato and a Vermouth from an original 1950s recipe.

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