History

Family-owned and operated, Pio Cesare has been producing world-class wines since 1881 in Northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Founded by entrepreneur Cesare Pio, who was inspired to produce a small and select quantity of wines from the hills of Barolo and Barbaresco for himself, his family, friends, and customers. Cesare Pio was dedicated to the terroir of the Piedmont region and to producing wines of the highest quality.

His entrepreneurial spirit encouraged him to travel throughout Europe in the early 20th century to publicize and promote Pio Cesare’s wines. His son, Giuseppe Pio, the second generation, found himself with a thriving winery at the turn of the century. He carried on his father’s passion and invested in expansion of the cellars and the trade, making Pio Cesare a benchmark brand for the wines of the region.

In 1940, Giuseppe Pio’s only child, Rosy, married Giuseppe Boffa, a young and well-known engineer from Alba, who managed a large company in Milan at the time. When Italy began to struggle during the Second World War, Giuseppe Boffa decided to leave his job in Milan to dedicate himself to the Pio Cesare winery. Thanks to his efforts, the Pio Cesare brand gained fame and prominence both domestically and internationally, becoming one of the most respected names among Italian wine producers, with a special focus on its renowned Barolo.

Rosy and Giuseppe Boffa named their youngest son Pio, in honor of his great-grandfather’s last name. Pio Boffa, the fourth generation, lead the company for over 40 years, until his passing in 2021. In the early 1990s, Pio asked his cousin Augusto to join him in the company. His sister’s son, Cesare Benvenuto, has been active since 2000 as the fifth generation along with Pio Boffa’s daughter, Federica Rosy, who more recently joined the family business.

The 5th generation

Today, Federica Rosy Boffa runs her family's winery along with her cousin Cesare Benvenuto. Born in 1997—an iconic vintage in Piemonte— she is the only child of the late Pio Boffa, the 4th generation owner who worked and traveled tirelessly to elevate the winery's status during his tenure at the helm of Pio Cesare. 

Federica and Cesare travel extensively to more than 50 countries around the world, echoing what Cesare Pio himself did at the beginning of the the winery's history—promoting the name and reputation of the Pio Cesare winery to restaurants, hotels, wine shops and wine lovers worldwide.