Since the beginning of Pio Cesare's history, the winery has produced limited quantities of Barolo Chinato and Vermouth, meticulously following the family recipe originally created by the founder. In the early 1950s, the winery decided to stop the production due to customers' changing tastes. They were increasingly focused on “liqueur” wines and vermouths with nontraditional flavors, less character and less respectful of each wine region’s terroir.
In recent years, discerning customers have begun to look for traditional character, strong personality and great individuality in aromatic wines and in wine-based aperitifs. As a result, Pio Cesare has decided to produce small amounts of Barolo Chinato and Vermouth. The winery follows the secret family recipe that has been safeguarded by the founder’s granddaughter.
An infusion of chinchona (China Calissaja and Succirubra barks) is macerated for 21 days in a small amount of the winery's classic Barolo. The recipe then calls for a mixture of aromatic herbs, such as gentian roots, rhubarb, cardamom seeds, sweet and bitter orange, cinnamon and others, which all together compose the family recipe. After several weeks aging, the right amount of Barolo is added. After a light fining, the infusion is aged for four months in oak barrels, bottled, and after an additional aging of at least two months, it finally becomes Pio Cesare Barolo Chinato.
Wine Advocate Review:
The Pio Cesare NV Barolo Chinato pours from the bottle with a dark amber color with shiny chestnut highlights. This fortified digestif shows amazing purity and intensity, with aromas that you can list and identify clearly one by one. There is balsam and medicinal herb with minty cough syrupy, cola and candied orange peel. With time, you might also sense some Moroccan spice or toasted Spanish cedarwood. The alcohol content is registered at 16% although it surely feels much higher. Balanced sweetness wraps smoothly over the palate. I'm never quite sure how to assign a drinking window to Barolo Chinato, and it is ostensibly built to last forever.
