Free shipping on orders over €50 (to Portugal)

Pio Cesare L'Altro White Chardonnay 2023

Pio Cesare
Year
€21.90
Tax included Shipping calculated at checkout.

92 points James Suckling

The Wine Advocate
RP 90
Monica Larner: The Pio Cesare 2023 Langhe Chardonnay L'Altro is super vibrant and fresh, exactly the kind of wine you'll want as the sun begins to set at the end of a summer day at the beach. The wine reveals an incredibly lively and elevated fruit quality that immediately puts a smile on your face. Citrus, peach, melon and crushed stone aromas seal the deal.

The exceptional outpouring of emotion following the death of Pio Boffa, the legendary figure behind Pio Cesare, earlier this year has become a landmark moment for Italian wine as the industry grapples with the emotional and economic devastation left by the coronavirus pandemic.

Pio Boffa, 66, passed away on the evening of April 17, 2021, after a two-week battle with COVID-19. The Italian wine community mourned his passing, setting the internet ablaze with emotional tributes, photos and memories, just as the rest of the country began to see the first rays of light at the end of this pandemic tunnel.

Pio Boffa was the fourth generation of his family to lead Pio Cesare, founded by his great-grandfather Cesare Pio in 1881. The Alba winery would become one of the most important in Italy, with 70 hectares of vineyards and an annual production of half a million bottles. Today, the wines are exported to more than 50 countries.

Pio Boffa will be remembered for his charisma, his generosity and his love of life, wine and social life. And, as I can personally attest, he was particularly interested in encouraging opportunities for a younger generation of wine professionals. His infectious enthusiasm was contagious.

Boffa passed away just as his beloved company celebrated its 140th anniversary.

To mark the occasion, two special commemorative wines will be released. The first is a Barolo Riserva 2000 (with only 500 bottles available). The label features an image of a key worn as a necklace by the family matriarch, Nonna Rosy, who passed away last year at the age of 98. Going forward, Pio Cesare will implement a late-release wine program featuring special selections from its historic cellars.

The second celebratory wine is a Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d'Alba 2017. Exactly 1,881 bottles were produced, one for each year since the company was founded. The wine is made from fruit from four vineyards: Ornato, La Briccolina, La Serra and Lirano.

A fifth generation is now at the helm of the company. Pio Boffa's daughter, Federica Rosy, and his nephew, Cesare Benvenuto, run the company today.
Back to top