Pio Cesare Barolo 2019

Pio Cesare is a historic Piedmont producer, founded in Alba in 1881 and still based within the town itself. This Barolo is built from Nebbiolo grown across several of the family vineyards in the Langhe hills, where calcareous marl soils and a wide diurnal range slow ripening and preserve the grape's high acidity and aromatics. Nebbiolo is naturally pale but deeply tannic, and the cool autumn nights help fix its perfume of rose, tar and red cherry. The wine spends 36 months ageing in large foudres, where slow oxygen exchange across the staves softens and polymerises the tannins without overlaying obvious oak spice, allowing the fruit and savoury character to lead. The colour is pale garnet with a brick rim. The nose is layered, with red cherry, dried rose, liquorice, leather and tobacco. On the palate it is full bodied and firmly structured, the tannins gripping but fine grained, carried by bright acidity through a long, earthy finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees and decant an hour ahead, in a large bowled glass. It suits braised beef, roast lamb and aged hard cheese.