Pio Cesare has been a Piedmontese name since 1881, but this is not the wine that built it. L'Altro is Chardonnay, grown in the Langhe and bottled under the Langhe DOC rather than Barolo or Barbaresco, which is where the estate made its name. It is a white wine from a region the world knows for red.
- Chardonnay, the only grape in the bottle.
- Langhe DOC, Piedmont, northern Italy.
- Dry, medium body, medium acidity.
- 13.5% alcohol, 750ml.
How it is made
Chardonnay in the Langhe is picked earlier than it would be further south, which keeps the acidity sharp. The grape itself is neutral, so what shows up in the glass comes from where it grew and how it was handled. Langhe whites tend to see some oak, but the fruit stays in front of it.
How it tastes
Green apple and citrus first, then a flinty, stony edge that is the Langhe more than the grape. There is almond on the finish and a creamy weight through the middle, with a light vanilla note from the barrel. Low tannin, dry, and it holds its shape rather than going soft.
Good to know
The Langhe hills are a UNESCO World Heritage site, listed for the way generations of growers terraced and shaped the slopes. The same hills grow the Nebbiolo for Barolo and Barbaresco. Chardonnay was planted here later, and it has never had the same fame, which is why a bottle like this stays reasonable for what it is.
Contains alcohol.
