Pio Cesare has been making wine in Alba since 1881, and the family still runs the cellars their great-grandfather built. Piodilei is their Langhe Chardonnay, taken from a single vineyard and given time in French oak. The result is a white with real weight and a clear oak signature, closer to the serious end of Chardonnay than to anything light.
- Chardonnay, the only grape in the bottle.
- Langhe, Piedmont — hills south of Alba.
- 2018, a warm and generous vintage.
- Fermented and aged in French oak barrels.
- Full-bodied, dry, with moderate acidity.
How it is made
Chardonnay is not native to Piedmont. It arrived in the Langhe in the late twentieth century, planted on the same hills as Nebbiolo and Dolcetto, and it turns out the calcareous marl suits it. Piodilei is fermented in barrel and kept there, so the oak is part of the wine rather than a seasoning laid over it.
How it tastes
Rich and rounded, with butter and toasted hazelnut from the barrel work, and ripe tropical fruit underneath. There is enough acidity to hold it together, but this is a broad, textural Chardonnay rather than a lean one. The oak is present from the first sip and stays through the finish.
Good to know
Piedmont is one of the few places in Italy where Chardonnay is taken seriously as a varietal wine rather than used as a blending grape. The Langhe DOC was created in 1994 partly to give these wines a home, alongside Barbera and Nebbiolo. Pio Cesare is one of the older houses in Alba, still family-owned.
Contains alcohol.
