Barolo Mosconi DOCG 2018 · 3 bottles in OWC

Pio Cesare | Piedmont
Pio Cesare | Via Cesare Balbo 6 | IT 12051 Alba

05363618 · 2,25 l · 137,76 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping10 units available

Four years ago, Pio Boffa bought himself a "small" present for his 60th birthday. Not a new set of golf clubs, a picture hanging in the hall, a holiday for him and the family. No. Just a vineyard called Mosconi in Monforte d'Alba, a region of Piedmont where four generations of the Pio Cesare dynasty never gained a foothold. Originally, the grapes from the 10-hectare vineyard were to enhance the quality of his classic Barolo, but after the first barrel samples, it was unmistakably clear to Pio Boffa that this would be at least an equal - if stylistically different - counterpart to the hitherto undisputed flagship Ornato.

Mosconi is more light-footed than Ornato, with red rather than black fruits dominating the nose, along with irresistible liquorice and a juiciness that will immediately earn it a top place in the entire appellation. On the palate, it has a precision that is unparalleled, less punchy than Ornato, but more elegant and subtle. SUPERIORE.DE

"Another transparent ruby red with garnet reflections. Exciting bouquet with distinct notes of blood oranges and candied orange peel, plus finest Dominican tobacco and leather, dazzling and individual. Elegant palate with fresh, cherry-influenced fruit, grippy, punchy, finely chiselled style with silky firm tannin, plus salty mineral nuances in the long finish." Weinwisser

"Bright ruby garnet with brightening rim. Very inviting and clear nose of sweet wild raspberries, cherry and rose petals, some cardamom in the background. Gripping, gripping tannin, shows discreet earthy notes, after truffle and tobacco, very grippy on the final, salty, needs a few more years." Falstaff

"Medium ruby red with orange reflections. Almost explosive minerality on the nose with a hint of sour cherry and a hint of spicy oak. Complex but still restrained on the nose. Wonderfully supple fruit with polished, finely honed but firm tannins almost a little reminiscent of Serralunga. Plenty of stuff to chew on and spectacular, layered flavours on the finish." Jancis Robinson

"Rich, with plum and cherry aromas, this Barolo also shows a spicy side of eucalyptus, liquorice and clove. Shows viscosity in texture as well as excellent balance. It finishes with dense, refined tannins and lingering notes of macerated fruit and savory." Wine Spectator

"The 2018 Barolo Mosconi is magnificent. It offers a complex blend of rose petals, dried herbs, iron, graphite, smoke, incense, scorched earth and blood orange, capturing all the complexity that makes the best Barolos from this site so compelling. Powerful and profound, but also very elegant, the 2018 is another fine Barolo from a winery that has made a pretty significant stylistic shift in recent years." Vinous

"Very compact on the nose and palate, with notes of dried red berries, truffle, sous-bois and dried flowers. Full-bodied with a fine tannin structure and a very long finish. Compact and solid. This wine still needs a lot of time to open up, but already shows real class. Try it from 2025." James Suckling

"Compared to the Ornato, the 2018 Barolo Mosconi (with fruit from Monforte d'Alba) shows a tighter and more compact quality with a direct, linear and powerful approach. The bouquet builds vertical intensity, starting with tart fruit aromas and culminating in tar, rusty nails and camphor ash. This aromatic ascent is swift and the wine finishes with a very broad, all-encompassing performance." Wine Advocate

"From soils with a combination of silt, clay and, to a small extent, sandstone, a perfect photo of the terroir of Monforte. Cornel on the nose, with notes of pink grapefruit and clove, mouth with iodine-spicy tannins, crispness and tension, nice persistence." Luca Gardini