A jeweled red color, the 2021 Barolo Ornato has an attractive fragrance of incense, ripe cherries, candied orange peel, minty herbs, sappy earth, and crushed violets. Medium to full-bodied, it offers a good deal of structure, with noble Serralunga tannins, as well as a balanced feel and a long, mouthwatering finish. I am coming to find that I really love this wine from Pio Cesare. Drink 2027-2050.

Also a jeweled ruby red color, the 2021 Barolo Mosconi shows off layered notes of clove, dried cherries, lavender, dark stones, and rosemary. Medium to full-bodied, it’s savory on the palate, with a sanguine iron mineral feel, a noble-feeling structure, and a persistent finish. Drink 2026-2046.

Though elegant, this red reveals density and intensity, along with focused flavors of tart cherry, blackberry, mineral and spices. Still a bit compact on the finish, yet the fruit pushes through. Drink now through 2030.

Cesare Benvenuto of Pio Cesare tells me that what he loves most about the 2020 vintage is that it is, in his word: contemporary. "You can drink the wines immediately, the tannins are silky and hydrated and Nebbiolo shows a lovely quality of fruit," he says. The 2020 Barbaresco is a blend from four family-owned parcels in Treiso (Il Bricco, San Stefanetto and Bongiovanni) and Alba (Rocche di Massalupo), but 70% of the fruit is from Il Bricco, specifically from the higher part of the vineyard that extends over 400 meters in elevation. Fermentation is in stainless steel with gentle cap management and one month on the skins. The wine ages in oak for 30 months, with 90% of it going into botti, and 10% going into neutral barrique. Starting with the 2022 vintage, Austrian oak was introduced. This is a pretty wine with bright fruit, animating acidity and a silky finish.

The most powerful of the bunch is the Pio Cesare 2020 Barolo Ornato. This is a structured wine with firm tannins and dense fruit that falls on the darker side of the spectrum with blackberry and damson plum. You also get that typical Serralunga d'Alba imprint of rusty mineral and dark licorice. The wine is quite ample in terms of volume and depth, and iy's definitely reflective of its territory of origin. Production is 12,325 bottles, and larger formats were also made.