Riconoscimenti

Introspective but expressive, the 2019 Barolo Ornato takes on more spice and savor with its notes of black licorice and cedar and is bolder in and broader in its expression. It has a more solar and warming feel, with medium to full body, ample structure, and fantastic length. This more serious and broad-shouldered wine will benefit from time in the cellars and move into more leather and red plum tones in the future. Drink 2025-2045.

Complex on the nose, offering a blend of ripe red berries, nutty minerals, orange-peel and spice. Some savory, almost meaty notes, too. Full, compact and intense, yet there’s a graceful feel to the palate, thanks to the really fine web of tannin. Super polish and promise here. Classy. Needs some time. Try from 2025.

Spicy, displaying white pepper, cumin, fennel seed and mineral notes that frame a core of macerated plum and cherry. Dense, viscous and lively, this is balanced and expressive. Ends with excellent length and power. Best from 2025 through 2043.

The 2018 Barolo Ornato reveals some very distant hot-vintage aromas that are vaguely reminiscent of dried raspberry or stewed plum. Nebbiolo is extremely sensitive to the warmer temperatures and even a hint of extra ripeness is easily detected. However, the wine is fluid and ever-evolving. Those fruit-driven aromas soon transition over to brooding complexity with smoke, tar and licorice. The Ornato paints a wide picture of that characteristic Serralunga d'Alba intensity.

The 2018 Barolo Ornato is somber, brooding and quite closed in on itself. There's a ton of aromatic and flavor complexity, but the fruit is very much in the background. It will be interesting to see if the 2018 emerges, or if it remains rather compact, as it is today. There's a good bit of density and power behind all of that tannin. Hints of blood orange, crushed raspberry, rose petal and cinnamon linger on the super-classic finish.

Extremely perfumed with dark berries, cherries, strawberries and crushed stones. Full-bodied with chewy, polished tannins that are muscular. Fantastic structure to this young Barolo, as well as great length. It grows on the palate with ease. Truly impressive. Incredible. Try after 2025.

The 2017 Barolo Ornato offers a bit more mid-palate density and volume than the Mosconi tasted alongside it. Like that wine, it is an infant that will need time to truly blossom. Sweet red cherry, sage, mint, rosewater and dried flowers lend striking intrigue throughout. The Ornato is a super-impressive wine that shows the more finessed style Pio Cesare has been pursuing over the last few years.

The very first single-vineyard Barolo produced by the family, first made in 1985, this is vinified in stainless steel tanks with moderate temperature control. It then undergoes maceration for 30 days and ageing in botti for about 30 months, with a small portion of the wine in French oak barriques for the first 12 months. Dark ruby in colour, it has aromas of raspberry, rose, violet, cherry, slatey minerality and graphite. The attack is subtle, the tannins polished, with an extracted mid-palate. Assertive acidity and an austere finish are balanced by fragrant cherry fruit and a liquorice aftertaste.

With fruit from the village of Serralunga d'Alba, the Pio Cesare 2017 Barolo Ornato exhibits a richer textural style and more concentrated fruit flavors compared to all the other Nebbiolo-based wines in this portfolio. Dark cassis and blackberry segue to black licorice and tarry smoke. Those signature hints of rusty nail, earth and candied orange peel that are so specific to this village are also quite evident. The wine shows structure and depth that will help it withstand extra cellar aging.

Though underlined by firm, dusty tannins, this red displays ripe cherry, plum, green tea and earth flavors. Fresh and full of energy on the lingering finish. Best from 2025 through 2045.

Magnifica personalità nel vivo ed espressivo Barolo Ornato '16, ricco di piccoli frutti rossi e di una deliziosa nota di liquirizia dalla bocca di eccezionale lunghezza ed armonia, con un soffuso alone di austerità che ne aumenta il fascino e l'importanza. Per noi questa eccellente versione di Ornato è il Vino Rosso dell'Anno.

The blue fruit and freshness are impressive here. At the same time, there’s richness and focus with ripe fruit. Yet, it remains cool and bright. Superb center palate with great fruit and depth, but compact and focused. Needs three or four years to come together. Better after 2021.

With fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, the Pio Cesare 2016 Barolo Ornato offers a stunning presentation in this classic vintage. The bouquet shows small berry fruits and cassis, all framed by crushed stone, forest floor, blue flower and candied orange skin. There is a dusty mineral note to this wine as well, with terrific intensity on both the nose and the palate. The Ornato kicks in with finely integrated tannins and acidity that holds all those fruit flavors high and tall. What we have here is a standout Barolo that is staunchly vertical, linear and upfront. Some 10,000 bottles were produced.

The 2016 Barolo Ornato is a gorgeous wine. Moreover, it very clearly represents a shift towards a more classic style. I think this is the first time I have tasted the real character of Serralunga in Pio Cesare’s Ornato. I don’t mean the rich, oak-laden textures of the past, but the wild herbs, minerals and ferrous notes that are typical of so many wines in this sector of Serralunga. A wine of power and intensity, the Ornato is so impressive in 2016. It will need a few years to soften (at least), but there is plenty to look forward to.

This fine site in Serralunga is elevated at 380 metres, which may explain the wine's finesse. Very ripe sour cherries dominate the nose, which is perfumed and lifted, with a touch of vanilla beneath the soaring fruit. It's taut and sleek, with high acidity but no greenness. The tannins are well integrated, so the texture is polished. It's still tight and undoubtedly complex, with hints of tobacco and coffee. The balance is impeccable and this will go the distance. Although it may be accessible young, this will develop more nuances with further ageing. Long minty finish.

This is refined and taut, delivering a finely woven matrix of cherry, black currant, tar, iron and oak spice flavors. It's firm and long, with equilibrium and a lingering aftertaste. Stays vibrant and focused from beginning to end. Best from 2024 through 2045. 1,000 cases made, 240 cases imported.

Aromas of rose petal, underbrush, crushed botanical herb and woodland berry mingle with a whiff of hazelnut. On the linear, precise palate, tight fine-grained tannins accompany sour cherry, blood orange, licorice and coffee bean. Drink 2024–2036.

Balsamic aromas of eucalyptus mingle with enticing scents of wild berry, rose, espresso and tobacco. On the full-bodied, elegant palate, smooth, fine-grained tannins lithely support Marasca cherry, cranberry, star anise and exotic spice while fresh acidity keeps it balanced. One of the best showings I’ve had of Ornato so far. Drink 2021–2030.

Piercing scents of cherry, currant, eucalyptus and licorice signal this tightly wound red. Fluid, with a supple texture that dissolves into a matrix of dense tannins. The ample sweet fruit lingers nicely. Best from 2022 through 2040. 700 cases made, 172 cases imported.

With powerful fruit from Serralunga d’Alba, the 2015 Barolo Ornato is a plush and dense red wine with a contemporary feel that prizes richness and overall accessibility. There is a level of softness here that permeates the entire wine and adds to the already-intense aromas of red fruit, blackberry, spice, tar, asphalt and candied orange peel. This structured Barolo is best tasted with a platter of Alpine cheeses and jellied honey.

The aromas are so complex yet subtle with wet earth, mushrooms and dark fruits. Dried flowers as well. Full body, chewy tannins that are ultra-fine and powerful, yet there is a finesse and beauty to them as I said from barrel. Classic, great nebbiolo. Try in 2023.

The fruit for this wine is sourced from Pio Cesare’s plots in the Ornato vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba. It has a big, bold palate impression with lovely fresh acidity framing a core of delicate red fruits and heavier plummy notes. The tannins are fine and chalky, and despite this vineyard’s reputation for producing heavily structured wines, it’s relatively light on its feet, juicy and moreish. Although delicious, it seems a waste to drink it so early in its life – I would leave it for at least another couple of years for all the elements to fully integrate and then decant after opening. Vinified in stainless steel before spending 18 months in barriques and a further 12 months in botti. Drinking Window 2021- 2045

Pio Cesare’s top Barolo comes from Ornato in Serralunga. The nose is intense, with ripe, pure raspberry, redcurrant and rose petal aromas. It’s very concentrated, yet is sleek and discreet rather than flashy, with firm but not aggressive tannins. It’s unusually forward for Serralunga, but has the stuffing to age. Drinking Window 2019 – 2028

Tightly wound, offering cherry, plum, wild herb, tar and spice flavors matched to a tensile frame. More savory than fruity, with the finish compact and unyielding today. Best from 2022 through 2035. 700 cases made, 330 cases imported.

With robust fruit exclusively sourced from Serralunga d’Alba, the 2014 Barolo Ornato is a bold and loosely knit red wine. Keeping in line with the characteristics of this celebrated vineyard site, the wine offers extra density, softness and texture. The results are plump with ripe fruit, spice and Spanish cedar. The finish is smooth and silky. This vintage of Pio Cesare’s single-vineyard Barolo is better consumed in the near and medium term. The wine is aged in botte grande and barrique. Some 10,000 bottles were made

This is very spicy and fruity one with perfumed and bright aromas. Leather, too. Medium-bodied, refined and layered with beautiful ripe tannins. Fine, polished texture with berry and walnut undertones. Drink or hold.

Aromas of exotic spice, underbrush, chopped herb and moist earth lead the nose. The full-bodied palate offers raw sour cherry, star anise, espresso and oak-driven spice alongside assertive, Fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. Give the tannins a few more years to come around then drink to capture its subtle fruit flavors.

Pure fruit expression on the nose and palate. finely integrated oak with ripe and gentle tannins. Tar and stormy mineral hint on a long finish.

Extremely complex and showing the terroir of Serralunga with rose stems, wet earth, strawberries and mushrooms. Orange peel to boot. Full to medium body, ultra-fine tannins and bright acidity. Fascinating character that takes everything from the aromas. Light chewy on the finish. Expanding. Needs time to soften with bottle age. Better in 2021.

This wine represents a slight stylistic departure compared to past editions. The 2013 Barolo Ornato sees fruit sourced from Serralunga d’Alba from a site that is know for its power and concentration. This wine’s identity is tightly linked to the wide popularity of this more robust taste profile. Pio Cesare opted to use a little less barrique and more delicate punch downs instead of pump overs (that tend to increase maceration times by a slight margin. The results are spectacular. This is a wine I have always admired and I’m pleased to say that it just got better. Dark fruit and plum segue to soft spice, leather and licorice.

Starts out with breadth and depth to the cherry, earth, leather, tar and leafy flavors, turning more focused as the tightly wound structure emerges. The kaleidoscopic finish goes on and on. Best from 2023 through 2043. – B.S

Austere initially, this needs air to open, displaying flavors of tar, cherry and spice from the new oak treatment. Firm and linear, with a dense structure that will require some time to integrate fully. Best from 2020 through 2035. 40 cases imported.

3 bicchieri – Vini d’Italia, Gambero Rosso

Aromas of toasted oak, espresso and exotic spice follow through to the firm palate along with star anise and notes of dried cherry. Bracing, close-grained tannins leave an extremely astringent finish.

The 2012 Barolo Ornato offers a modern approach with allspice and toasted almond in front of dark fruit, blackberry preserves and grilled herb. Lighter touches of tar, smoke and cola appear at the back. Overall, this Barolo is well integrated and seamless in delivery. It makes a great wine to drink within the next ten years.

This is amazingly structured with tight and polished tannins that give this wine superb linear length and balance. Full body, bright and focused fruit. Goes on for minutes. Beautiful now but better in 2020.

39 among the Top 100 Italian wine in 2015

Lean and taut, with cherry, strawberry, leather and tobacco flavors fused to a burr of tannins. Compact on the finish, remaining freshand long. Best from 2018 through 2028

Pio Cesare’s 2011 Barolo Ornato is an opulent and exuberant wine that delivers all the fullness, roundness and soft ripeness of the vintage. Ornato is designed as a softer expression of Nebbiolo (it sees 18 months in barrique plus one year in traditional oak cask). This richer style suits the wine very well in 2011. It peels back to reveal deep layers of black cherry, blackberry preserves, spice and leather. It will lose some of its baby fat with five years or more in the cellar. Drink: 2017 – 2030

A complex and complete wine with black cherry, mushrooms, wet earth and plum. Full-bodied, yet so refined and caressing in texture. Wonderful length and beauty. You want to drink it now but it will give so much more in the future.

Discreet nuances of vanilla and toast accent the core of cherry, raspberry and floral in this elegant, yet firm Barolo. Beautifully balanced, complex and long, with leather, tar and mineral elements emerging on the finish. Best from 2017 through 2028.

From one of Barolo’s most storied houses, this concentrated wine opens with aromas of toasted oak, espresso, red berry, leather and baking spices. The palate offers up sweet oak, vanilla, toasted notes, mocha, roasted coffee bean and juicy black cherry alongside bracing tannins.

The 2010 Barolo Ornato is quite possibly the best wine I have ever tasted from Pio Cesare’s hillside site in Serralunga. Exotic, beguiling and constantly changing in the glass, the 2010 Ornato races across the palate with compelling nuance, brightness and energy. Red stone fruits, crushed rocks, orange peel, spices and white pepper all blossom from the glass in an exotic Barolo full of allure. The 2010 captures all of the mystique of what Serralunga is all about. This is a fabulous showing from Pio Boffa and the team at Pio Cesare.

Executed in a bolder style, the 2010 Barolo Ornato is born in the Serralunga d’Alba township where Nebbiolo tends to show more structure, power and density. Indeed, the richness smoothness and overall opulence of the 2010 vintage is irresistible. This is an elegant and articulate wine that boast a long aromatic range, spanning from berry fruit to ethereal balsam oil. Yet, all the while, it shows the spicy endnotes and softness of barrel aging. Barolo Ornato is aged in new barrique (70%) and large casks. It’s almost ready to drink out of the gate. Drink: 2015-2018.

This is amazing character in the nose with tar and earth and floral character. Fruit too. Pure. Full body, with fantastic polished tannins and a finish that goes on for mintues. Great finish with ripe tannins and fruit. Serious wine. What a finish. Try in 2017.

Tar, smoke, licorice and iron all inform Pio Cesare’s 2009 Barolo Ornato, a wine loaded with tons of pure Serralunga power. Rich and broad on the palate, the 2009 boasts striking depth and persistence. The warm growing season notwithstanding, the 2009 comes across as more classic than recent vintages, with less French oak influence.

A touch of new oak adds spice and sweetness to the macerated cherry, menthol and tar notes. Firm and compact, showing a dense profile and a long finish of tar and savory.

The aromas are full of white truffles, dark fruits and dried flowers. Blueberries too. Full body that kicks in on the finish. It goes on for minutes. Tight and very integrated with beautifully polished tannins and pretty fruit.

The 2009 Barolo Ornato, on the other hand, shows a “modern” approach with softer fruit layers and thicker, velvety texture. The fact that the fruit is sourced in the Serralunga d’Alba township (known for more opulent wines) underlines the wine’s open and overt personality.

This winery is a mainstay of high-quality Barolo. The Ornato single-vineyard Barolo from 2008 is subtle yet complex, with wonderful character of peach, plum and rose. It’s full-bodied, with impressive intensity and structure. Best to drink in 2016.

Barolo is always on my list of great wines any year. And the 2008 single vineyard Ornato from Pio Cesare nails the wonderful aromatics, harmony and structure of the vintage for Barolo. It’s well priced and readily available.

The 2008 Barolo Ornato is pretty, precise and delineated. This is a more reserved style than has been typical of Ornato in previous years. The French oak seems less obvious than in the past, while the flavor profile is more classic. Layers of dark red berries, flowers, menthol, spicebox and rose petals wrap around the powerful close. Overall, 2008 is shaping up to be a very classic vintage for the Ornato.

Subtle yet complex aromas of peaches, plums and roses turn to walnuts, hazelnuts, and spice. Full-bodied, with impressive intensity and structure. A beautiful line to the wine with ultra-fine tannins and a finish that lasts for minutes. Super focused.

This modern-style red features aromas and flavors of sweet vanilla, coconut, blackberry and tar.

Quite closed on the nose, with the oak element in the foreground. Then hugely rich and opulent in the mouth, with an utterly smooth texture that goes beyond the other 2007s here. The concentration of plummy red fruit is accentuated by the wine’s energy. Explosively long finish saturates the entire mouth with rich tannins.

The 2007 Barolo Ornato is striking. It shows marvelous delineation in it aromatics, tremendous breadth on the palate and fabulous balance. As always, the Ornato is a plush Barolo, with tons of Serralunga character and muscle. Rose petals, crushed flowers and spices add complexity to the dark fruit, while the French oak is very well-integrated. This is one of the most polished wines I have ever tasted from Pio Cesare.

Ornato is an opulent, modern expression of Barolo with lush oak tones that will require at least 10 more years to find perfect harmony. The 2007 vintage offers extra pulp and chewy cherry concentration that this wine upholds very successfully. You’ll love the plumpness and overall chocolaty richness available here.

Dark color with lovely ruby red edge. What a nose of blackberries, blueberries and hazelnuts! Full bodied, with amazing tannins that are velvety and gorgeous. Oranges and plums in the aftertaste. This is the best Ornato ever? This is the new 1958.

A touch of wood adds warmth and spice, with vanilla and smoke notes accenting black cherry, licorice and leather flavors. The muscular tannins add power to this Barolo’s well-toned profile.

The estate’s 2006 Barolo Ornato expresses the power and masculinity of Serralunga in a rich, opulent style packed with dark fruit. The Ornato shows marvelous concentration and vibrancy, with added layers of dimension from the French oak. It is a fascinating wine to contrast with the straight Barolo, as each of these 2006s reveals a different shade of nuance. There is a marvelous intensity to the fruit, along with substantial grip on the finish.

The 2005 Barolo Ornato shows outstanding depth and complexity in its note of licorice, iron, plums, prunes, French oak and minerals. …[I]s lighter in body than has been the case in the past vintages, which renders the wine quite classic in feel.

Very pretty aromas of sweet strawberry pie, with hints of plum and flowers. Full-bodied, with polished yet chewy tannins and bright acidity. A big, juicy wine. A Barolo for the cellar

The 2004 Barolo Ornato is the most distinguished Ornato yet. This Barolo remains very primary and backward, yet there is a haunting inner perfume that occasionally makes an appearance here and that augurs very well for the wine’s future. The tannins are fine but also beautifully balanced by the wine’s massive fruit. …Anticipated maturity: 2014-2034.

Very pretty and focused, with lots of subtle aromas, from black cherry to freshly cut flowers. Full-bodied and powerful, with chewy tannins and a long, rich finish. All to come here. Best after 2011.

The 2003 Barolo Ornato, from a vineyard in Serralunga, is a big, brooding wine loaded with scorched earth, smoke, dark fruit and plenty of toasted oak. Made in full-bodied, super-ripe style, the wine possesses outstanding depth with a note of alcoholic warmth on the finish….[T]his is a very strong effort from Pio Cesare. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2023.

Very beautiful aromas of berry, tar and rose follow through to a full-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a long finish of berry and vanilla. Very, very impressive. Polished and structured. Best after 2010.

The 2001 Barolo Ornato is this estates more modern-styled Barolo. It is a backward effort, packed with dark fruit, scorched earth, toasted oak and tar flavors that are typical of Serralunga, in a potent style, with excellent persistence on the palate and an attractive finish. It will drink well to age 20, and likely beyond. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2021.

Creamy textured, supple Barolo with strong oak overtones, it boasts aromas of coffee and vanilla layered over black cherries. It’s nicely balanced in terms of alcohol and acid, with a creamy mouthfeel and dried-spice notes on the finish.

Aromas of blackberries, licorice and berries follow through to a full-bodied palate, with lots of delicious plum fruit and toasted oak. Lovely finish. Very young. Very refined. Best after 2008.

Pungent, appealing and complex; smoky, floral, enticing. Firm, youthful structure, with plummy, sweet fruit underneath. More traditional style.