The addition of a small amount of Barbaresco and Barolo Nebbiolo gives the wine body and structure, allowing it to display the long-term aging potential of the varieties. It is concentrated, with ripe fruit and freshness, and a touch of sweetness from the tannins. Pio Cesare Winery was founded in 1881 by Cesare Pio. After a successful career as an entrepreneur, he decided to create small batches of select wines from the Barolo and Barbaresco hills for his family and friends.
Cesare soon turned his passion into a business, devoting himself to producing premium, high-quality wines that reflect the Piedmontese terroir. Cesare's son, Giuseppe Pio, the second generation, acquired the thriving winery at the turn of the 20th century. He inherited his father's passion, invested in the company's burgeoning wine industry, and developed Pio Cesare into a benchmark brand for Piedmontese wines. In 1940, Giuseppe Pio's only daughter, Rosie, married Giuseppe Boffa, a young and talented engineer from Alba. Soon after, she decided to quit her job and focus on Pio Cesare's wine business. He made Pio Cesare a Piedmontese wine brand that gained fame and attention not only in Italy but also around the world. Pio Boffa, the youngest son of Rosie and Giuseppe, named "Pio" in honor of his great-grandfather's surname, decided to continue the family business as the fourth generation with great vision and passion. Pio Boffa worked tirelessly to brew and promote the wines of the Langhe region, and developed Pio Cesare, known as a fine négociant, into a family of wine growers highly regarded worldwide. He expanded the winery building and added many new wines to the portfolio. Pio Boffa will pass away in 2021, much to the regret of his family. His daughter Federica Boffa and nephew Cesare Benvenuto are now the fifth generation, and they are steering the winery as a team with the support of their cousin Augusto. They continue the traditions left by their predecessors, but are also quick to look to the future, leading the winery with care, passion and dedication. Pio Cesare owns about 80 hectares of sunny vineyards in the most highly esteemed region of Piedmont. The locations of the vineyards, scattered across various villages, were not chosen randomly, but are based on the traditional method of blending several vineyards. This is the know-how of the entire region for producing Barolo, Barbaresco and other classical wines that has been passed down since the end of the 19th century, and it has been passed down as the philosophy of the Pio family to this day. The cultivation is done using a farming method that prioritizes sustainability without using chemical products. Taking advantage of the diversity of living things and plants in the fields, we create an ecosystem where bees and beneficial insects increase. We also perform green harvesting and canopy management using fixed-point weather observation devices, and a dedicated cultivation team monitors each vineyard all year round. Barolo owns about 30 hectares, and the vineyards are Ornato, Mosconi, Roncaglie, Gustava and Ravera.
The Barbaresco estate comprises approximately 25 hectares, including the Briccolo di Treiso, San Stunet, Bongiovanni and Rocche Massalupo vineyards.
The remaining 25 hectares are held in Dianod'Alba, Trezzo Tinella, Roddino, Cissone, Sinio and Tortona.
As the only winery located within the historic centre of Alba, within the ancient Roman walls, Pio Cesare is permitted to feature the village's coat of arms on its labels.