The SOMM Journal

October / November 2016

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{ SOMMjournal.com }  129 "My maternal great grandfather made Barolo for the love of making wine and, at some point along the way, it became a real job," says Pio Boffa, patriarch of the Pio Cesare winery in Alba, in a testament to the passion that established this iconic Barolo winery. The Somm Journal interviewed Boffa at the offices of importer Maisons Marques & Domaines in September. In 1881, when founder Pio Cesare realized that he had found his calling, he divested his other business activities and brought his focus solely to wine. When Boffa's mother inherited the family business, he, the youngest of her three sons, began working side by side with his father in the early 1970s to learn the business. Long before the tipping point that was the Paris Tasting put Napa Valley on the world wine map, Boffa worked a harvest with Robert Mondavi in 1972. He credits that experience with broad - ening his vision of wine, and after graduation he returned again to Napa Valley to work with Tim, Michael and Marcia Mondavi. During the years that followed, father and son focused their energies on making the most of their extraordinary Piemontese terroir and investing in cru quality sites—Ornato and Falletto in Serralunga, Roncaglie in La Morra—which contribute a round feminine character and help moderate the tannins of the mus - cular Monforte di Alba. "Although it has never been par t of the tradition in Barolo, the focus on crus is trendy now, and the name of the site is often more impor tant than the actual vineyard," says Boffa. "While we treasure the character of the crus and take great care to make wine of the terroir, ultimately, we make single-vineyard wines to demonstrate that the blends are better." Continuity stands as the leitmotif of the Pio Cesare brand, from the striking, contemporary feel of a label that is now 100 years old to the winery's classic Barolo, which exemplifies the great depth of terroir spanning a total of 70 hectares (173 acres). "Mosconi, in Monforte di Alba, is our newest vine - yard acquisition," says Boffa who purchased the ten-hectare site to complete the Pio Cesare collection of cru vineyards. "I always felt something was missing and with the addition of Mosconi, a nod to my 60th birthday, it has now been completed." In preparation for tasting the current release wines, Boffa commented on the state of the 2012 vintage and Barolo in general: "Harvest is earlier now by about two weeks, and we no longer have fog, which is the origin of the name for Nebbiolo, after nebbia, or fog. However, we can still recognize the house style in the wines." As the keeper of that style, he insures that his team produces wines with color and ripe tannins that are intentionally bottle- aged before being released so they are absolutely approach - able. "We have always held the wines prior to releasing them so the consumer can enjoy them the moment they are pur- chased." Boffa credits his long time-rapport with the late Denis Dubourdieu for a greater understanding of the region's unique soils and for winemaking techniques that include pneumatic punch-downs for managing Nebbiolo's assertive tannins. In tasting the single vineyard wines, each of which is distinct, balanced and harmonious, Boffa points out that it's "almost impossible" to reach their sought-after style when confined to one site. "Monovarietal wines are great for one specific charac - ter, but they don't tell the whole story. Blending is really the key; each vineyard complements the other and provides a different characteristic—color, texture, sweetness from the fruit. This is what we have always done and are convinced we need to do." For ty-plus years since his first visit to Napa, Boffa, who took the reins at Pio Cesare when his father passed away in 2000, has now been joined by the fifth generation. His nephew, Cesare, has joined him at the winery and his daughter, Federica, who accompanied her father to Napa during this visit, is studying business in Torino and helping out par t time. The family's majestic Ornato vineyard in Serralunga is the source of the Nebbiolo grapes for their renowned Ornato Barolo. "We make single-vineyard wines to demonstrate that the blends are better." —Pio Boffa

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