The Pio Cesare family’s unique winemaking method stresses minimal intervention to produce wines of particularly supple flavor expression. A ceaseless devotion to the individuality of each of the region’s wines informs Pio Cesare's choices in the cellar: shorter maceration, separate lot fermentation, judicious selection for barrel and large cask aging, and bottling schedules determined by the ideal structure of each wine. This allows Pio Cesare to craft wines of varying weight, ageability and drinkability as determined by the vineyard rather than market fashion.

This wine is a single-vineyard Barbaresco using very ripe grapes from several plots in the famous Il Bricco estate owned by the Pio Cesare family. While soils in surrounding villages are sandy, the Il Bricco vineyard is primarily composed of limestone and clay. In the Piemontese dialect, Il Bricco translates to "peak of the hill." Reaching 400 meters above sea level, this estate is characterized by cool weather and important diurnal swings—both favorable conditions for the ripening of the Nebbiolo grape. 

Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks, with 15 days of skin contact. This wine ages in French oak for 30 months: 70 percent in new barriques and 30 percent in 20-hectoliter casks. It is produced in small quantities and only in excellent vintages.

The 2022 Barolo and Barbaresco shows excellent fruit concentration and freshness, firm yet refined tannings and well-defined structure. Barbaresco expresses more floral nuances, reflecting both the higher clay content of its soils and the slightly more abundant water reserve during the season.

Despite the early growing season and challenging climatic conditions, the 2022 harvest delivered outstanding quality, thanks to the rigorous agronomic practices carried out in our vineyards, the resilience of the Langhe terroir and the remarkable adaptability of Nebbiolo.

2022 harvest was short and intense, requiring vineyards from different terroirs—typically characterized by distinct ripening dynamics— to be picked within a very brief time window. Nebbiolo was harvested in our Barbaresco vineyards between September 21st and October 4th.