2001 Barolo Ornato

On my mid-September visit to Piemonte, Pio Boffa was one of several veterans of the region to be high on the potential of the 2007 vintage, which he thought might turn out to be like 1971 (this producer had brought in everything but his nebbiolo at the time of my visit). "So far, the 2007 wines show correct acidity and ripe tannins; it's as if they ripen in your mouth," he said. Interestingly, Boffa describes 2004 as "very good but not exceptional. " For him, 2001 produced more concentrated, austere, classic nebbiolo wines. Boffa also believes that people will ultimately change their opinions on the '03s in years to come, especially concerning Barolos from Serralunga and Castiglione Falletto, where old vines with deep roots in humid, limestone-rich soil often produced dense and rich wines. On the other hand, the sandy soils of La Morra were trickier, Boffa added. "But so far, global warming has been very positive for our region. It's good for color, for supple tannins, for making wines that are not too astringent. Not long ago, we used to bring in damp fruit in cold weather. Hot, dry weather is a good thing. " But with climate change, he went on, "we're careful now not to overextract. We lower the temperature of the fermentation and we do less post-fermentation maceration. "

Founded in 1881, Pio Cesare's cellars are among the oldest in the region. Seemingly tucked away in a corner of the center of Alba, the front door opens to reveal a large, sprawling facility that preserves much of the historic character of the estate. Today the wines are made in a style the blends elements of modern and traditional approaches. While the use of barrique is evident in many of the wines, they remain quite classic in their structures and personalities.

Founded in 1881, Pio Cesare's cellars are among the oldest in the region. Seemingly tucked away in a corner of the center of Alba, the front door opens to reveal a large, sprawling facility that preserves much of the historic character of the estate. Today the wines are made in a style the blends elements of modern and traditional approaches. While the use of barrique is evident in many of the wines, they remain quite classic in their structures and their personalities.

On my most recent visit to this producer based in the town of Alba, the house's Barolos and Barbarescos were more impressive than ever:while their aromas and flavors are classic, and their density of texture outstanding, the slight rusticity that has so long characterized this producer's wines has virtually been eliminated. The long project to renovate the winemaking facility was nearly complete, but director Pio Boffa noted that "finishing touches" could go on for many months in Italy. According to Boffa, 1998 here was better than '97 and even '96, thanks to improvements in the winery and the elimination of some ancient barrels. "The '99s are fruity and elegant wines," he added, "while the 2000s are packed. Two thousand one is more like '96 in style:what a great traditional Barolo and Barbaresco should be. "Pio Cesare's Barolos are aromatically complex and slow-aging wines, as the producer's 16-hectare Ornato vineyard ripens late in the cooler, iron-rich soils of Serralunga. "Although we get a lot of tannins, we never get pruney Barolos," Boffa explained.