Pio Cesare
Barolo Nebbiolo
Barolo, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy
2010 a strong vintage & still accending. Costco Ribcap vs Allen Brothers.
Sofia & I stayed in downtown Alba in 2015. Arrived early evening & sadly after their big wine festival. Pio Cesare was around the corner and down two blocks from our hotel. Historic as hell.
I bought this at Costco for around $49.
Nebbiolo young is a huge tarry grape. The Italian’s ferment this with a lot of new wood. They actually hold Nebbiolo/Barolo in bottle and extra year or more before release. Also, longer than most other world regions based largely on the grape & even more their wood use.
This is drinking nicely after a four hour decant, but it is still ascending and another 10-15 years of good drinking ahead…properly stored.
Even with this age, its tarriness is the first descriptor. Followed by heated dark spices, slightly, dry b lackberries, dry, slight tart, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, some strawberries, tea leaves, black licorice to anise, sandstone, limestone, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil & brush, dry herbs, dry tobacco, light; clove, nutmeg & hints of vanillin, forest floor w/ dry leaves, some mint, dry, withering, dark, red flowers framed in violets, excellent acidity with a nicely evolved, well; structured, tensioned, balanced, smartly polished finished that goes on & on!
2010 a strong vintage & still accending. Costco Ribcap vs Allen Brothers.
Sofia & I stayed in downtown Alba in 2015. Arrived early evening & sadly after their big wine festival. Pio Cesare was around the corner and down two blocks from our hotel. Historic as hell.
I bought this at Costco for around $49.
Nebbiolo young is a huge tarry grape. The Italian’s ferment this with a lot of new wood. They actually hold Nebbiolo/Barolo in bottle and extra year or more before release. Also, longer than most other world regions based largely on the grape & even more their wood use.
This is drinking nicely after a four hour decant, but it is still ascending and another 10-15 years of good drinking ahead…properly stored.
Even with this age, its tarriness is the first descriptor. Followed by heated dark spices, slightly, dry b lackberries, dry, slight tart, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, some strawberries, tea leaves, black licorice to anise, sandstone, limestone, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil & brush, dry herbs, dry tobacco, light; clove, nutmeg & hints of vanillin, forest floor w/ dry leaves, some mint, dry, withering, dark, red flowers framed in violets, excellent acidity with a nicely evolved, well; structured, tensioned, balanced, smartly polished finished that goes on & on!
Bright Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, spices, oak and floral notes. On the palate flavors of cherry and plum with notes of herb pepper, tobacco, cedar and cacao. Long finish, nice balance with fine soft tannins, ending with oak and earthy notes. Good now but a few more years in the bottle will not hurt!
Bright Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, spices, oak and floral notes. On the palate flavors of cherry and plum with notes of herb pepper, tobacco, cedar and cacao. Long finish, nice balance with fine soft tannins, ending with oak and earthy notes. Good now but a few more years in the bottle will not hurt!
May 13th, 2024Bright Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, spices, oak and floral notes. On the palate flavors of cherry and plum with notes of herb pepper, tobacco, cedar and cacao. Long finish, nice balance with fine soft tannins, ending with oak and earthy notes. Needs a few more years in the bottle!
Bright Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, spices, oak and floral notes. On the palate flavors of cherry and plum with notes of herb pepper, tobacco, cedar and cacao. Long finish, nice balance with fine soft tannins, ending with oak and earthy notes. Needs a few more years in the bottle!
May 1st, 2024Bright Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, spices, oak and floral notes. On the palate flavors of cherry and plum with notes of herb pepper, tobacco, cedar and cacao. Long finish, nice balance with fine soft tannins, ending with oak and earthy notes. Needs a few more years in the bottle!
Bright Ruby with aromas of dark fruits, spices, oak and floral notes. On the palate flavors of cherry and plum with notes of herb pepper, tobacco, cedar and cacao. Long finish, nice balance with fine soft tannins, ending with oak and earthy notes. Needs a few more years in the bottle!
Apr 23rd, 2024
Infanticide I know and yet this is showing the hell up even now. I’d do it again.
Infanticide I know and yet this is showing the hell up even now. I’d do it again.
Aug 24th, 2023
When a bottle of wine is this old, one can never have too high of expectations. There are far too many variables to consider when it comes to whether it will even be drinkable, let alone enjoyable. Particularly when it’s a wine from an unheralded vintage like 1953. As someone who has been fortunate enough to have tried many old bottles over the last ten or so years, I have had my share of duds; even bottles from a good vintage with strong provenance. However, every now and again, a bottle will surprise and this 1953 Barolo from Pio Cesare went way beyond my expectations. It had many stories to tell.
There was a tremendous amount of sediment but I had allowed that to settle to the bottom by leaving it upright for a couple of days. We pulled the cork few hours before service and decanted. The cork was very typical of wines from the region at the time; short and stubby. With the help of a Durand, we were able to extract in one piece and, to my astonishment, the cork was only 1/3 saturated. And then, whoa…what a lovely perfume. It was alive! The ’53 pours a light copper color and has a largely transparent core. On the nose, the fruit is still playing a major role however it was almost completly desiccated now: cherry, apricot, prune, tar, dried roses, dried leather, and mushrooms. On the palate the tannins are almost imperceptible and completely resolved. The acid is lovely; the preserver of life. The notes from the nose were confirmed and there was a long, satisfying finish. There was substance and a real energy about it. Old…and yet so full of life! I want to be absolutely clear, this wasn’t just a novel experience. This was a practical one as well as it paired perfectly with tajarin tossed with shiitake mushrooms as well as a bit of bone-in Wagyu New York Strip from Morgan Ranch. Everyone at the table was smitten by this septuagenarian of a Barolo; even those who had no prior experience with old wines. Drink now.
For what it’s worth, I’ve had this bottle in my cellar for a little over a year, when I was fortunate to have come across one with decent provenance. This is a wine I will very likely never see again but it was so wonderful to have had the experience and I’ll cherish this memory forever.
When a bottle of wine is this old, one can never have too high of expectations. There are far too many variables to consider when it comes to whether it will even be drinkable, let alone enjoyable. Particularly when it’s a wine from an unheralded vintage like 1953. As someone who has been fortunate enough to have tried many old bottles over the last ten or so years, I have had my share of duds; even bottles from a good vintage with strong provenance. However, every now and again, a bottle will surprise and this 1953 Barolo from Pio Cesare went way beyond my expectations. It had many stories to tell.
There was a tremendous amount of sediment but I had allowed that to settle to the bottom by leaving it upright for a couple of days. We pulled the cork few hours before service and decanted. The cork was very typical of wines from the region at the time; short and stubby. With the help of a Durand, we were able to extract in one piece and, to my astonishment, the cork was only 1/3 saturated. And then, whoa…what a lovely perfume. It was alive! The ’53 pours a light copper color and has a largely transparent core. On the nose, the fruit is still playing a major role however it was almost completly desiccated now: cherry, apricot, prune, tar, dried roses, dried leather, and mushrooms. On the palate the tannins are almost imperceptible and completely resolved. The acid is lovely; the preserver of life. The notes from the nose were confirmed and there was a long, satisfying finish. There was substance and a real energy about it. Old…and yet so full of life! I want to be absolutely clear, this wasn’t just a novel experience. This was a practical one as well as it paired perfectly with tajarin tossed with shiitake mushrooms as well as a bit of bone-in Wagyu New York Strip from Morgan Ranch. Everyone at the table was smitten by this septuagenarian of a Barolo; even those who had no prior experience with old wines. Drink now.
For what it’s worth, I’ve had this bottle in my cellar for a little over a year, when I was fortunate to have come across one with decent provenance. This is a wine I will very likely never see again but it was so wonderful to have had the experience and I’ll cherish this memory forever.
This Barolo wine has a medium-dark violet color, with a sort of brick red tint to it. Aromas of plums, blueberries, cassis and flowers come forth on the nose. The palate is black fruit and earth, with a peppery note and a firm set of tannins. A savory aspect rides along with the fruit, and there is a fine acidity which will make for some delicious pairings with food.
This Barolo wine has a medium-dark violet color, with a sort of brick red tint to it. Aromas of plums, blueberries, cassis and flowers come forth on the nose. The palate is black fruit and earth, with a peppery note and a firm set of tannins. A savory aspect rides along with the fruit, and there is a fine acidity which will make for some delicious pairings with food.
May 6th, 2023
Fresh strawberries that literally disintegrate into leather dust. Like a mirage. Thanks Nebbiolo for teasing me…. This wine is so dry. Basil leaf, crushed herbs. Pair with a Pekingese. They seem little, sweet, and goofy, but historically they used to hide in the sleeves of the Chinese emperors and courtiers to attack people they felt threatened by…. That’s this wine.
Fresh strawberries that literally disintegrate into leather dust. Like a mirage. Thanks Nebbiolo for teasing me…. This wine is so dry. Basil leaf, crushed herbs. Pair with a Pekingese. They seem little, sweet, and goofy, but historically they used to hide in the sleeves of the Chinese emperors and courtiers to attack people they felt threatened by…. That’s this wine.
Dec 27th, 2022Lovely glass of wine. Completely resolved. Leather. Strawberries.
Lovely glass of wine. Completely resolved. Leather. Strawberries.
May 6th, 2022