Pio Cesare's Barolo Ornato. A step away in direction from a very long history of blending fruit from Serralunga ( structure), Castiglione ( fragrance and finesse ) and Monforte ( colour and power ) to produce a consistently eminent Barolo Classico for over one hundred years. A very traditional producer, yet here we see modernist techniques help them producer wines of today's vintages, as they did in long ago vintages according to Pio Boffa ( winemaker/owner ).
Ornato is in good company. The prestigious southern end of Serralunga, the famed western slopes and bordering Giacosa's famed Falletto and not far along from Francia. It has a fully southern aspect. In Serralunga this is cooler than the South-Western exposure and warmer than a South-Eastern exposure. With Giacosa seeing lower plots performing better in warmer vintages in neighbouring Falletto, Ornato seems well positioned with winemaking adaptions and climate change to deliver the special and perhaps underrated wines of recent and in the future. I was pretty to happy to have Alessandro Masnaghetti confirm by thoughts in a zoom event mentioned above last week.
Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato 1985- This is the inaugural vintage of Ornato. I decanted the wine at home to remove the risk of travel shock with sediments spilling throughout the wine during a journey. Works a treat. I did notice the pigments starting to fall away from the few mil I tried- you see this in very old Barolo ( sometimes producing a white wine ). Wine had been upright for weeks.
Utterly magnificent aromatics- buzzing licorice, tobacco and truffle with intermingling rose decay and field mushrooms. Didn't fade at all and more aromatic complexity built with incense and Asian Spice. Tasters happy just to nose this wine! Very clean, long and delineated. Focused from front to back, minerality and still a gentle fruit tang. There's just a hint of tertiary flavors in a classy conclusion.
Is there evidence of barrique? Not a trace at 35 years.
98pts
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Pio Cesare Ornato Vino da Tavola 1982- There's a long story to this wine and to keep it simple, I'll label it as experimental, using Nebbiolo and Barbera and experimentation with French barrique. Fruit is from Ornato. Ageing 24 months in medium toasted French Oak where Pio Boffa felt Nebbiolo didn't sit well with the barrique whereas Barbera did.
Superb wine considering! Finer aromatically and lacking the depth of Barolo Ornato.Smoke, mushrooms, green pepper and subtle, faded, licorice. Spritly and long, perhaps the barbera adding carry, sweet fruit core holds for a good while and still some grittiness and grip.
94pts
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Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato 1986- Older wines are all showing a pure, Burgundian like prettiness in the red fruit spectrum. Structure and tension are leaning toward a definite elegance- typically Ornato. The simple tarriness and deep mellow core expected of aged Ornato, is proving a simple expectation, the wines are showing far more complexity than expected.
Hay and menthol and pretty red fruits, faint ash tray and shavings showing, hinting only of long ago barrique. And at this stage, very complimentary, even if not needed originally ( as evolution of Ornato shows ). Medium weighted with pleasing red fruit complexity on the palate, medicinal notes and hay draw even more interest. Clean and fine boned in long length. An often underrated vintage is 86, yet here we see at grand maturity, vintage limitations delivering resolution in harmony and elegance.
96pts
Pio Cesare Barbaresco Il Bricco 1990- Corked. Showing very vertically and extracted- would have been fascinating!
Pio Cesare Barbaresco Il Bricco 1993- It's amazing when ring-ins deliver so convincingly. Here we have a wine blind that screams Barbaresco. We also see the complexity of site, altitude and micro-climate. Fresh mint and herbs, red fruits in potpourri like complexity. Long and powerful, clay like extract yet a supple elegance and suppleness of flavour.
93pts
Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato 1993- Noted for its lift- red fruits carried in almond and balsamic. Has the advertised Ornato length and grace at maturity. Core of sweet red fruits and spices, orange notes on the edges and perhaps tannins reinforced with a little wood still gently in evidence after all this time.
96pts
Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato 1995- Corked
Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato 1988- A good showing although I'm sure much better bottles about. Mint and decay, tar, smoke and minerals with porcini notes eventually drawn out with aeration. Very interesting aromas- though I'm of the opinion it wasn't a well stored bottle. Fruits sits ripe and evolved on the palate, savoury notes with Ornato typical long length and elegance of mood. Clay-mineral extract and grittiness in the carry.
94pts
Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato 1990- Aromas start rich and refreshingly bright. Perfumed in the class of the greatest of Burgundy. Layered and very typically long, it's hard to say if the rich density of the wine is fully evolved, althought it's in good expression. Spices linger in the carry.
97pts
Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato 2008- Now we see adolescent Ornato. Site and the winemaker's craft are in evidence. On this showing there's a youthful decadence on show within the classic vintage lines of 2008. Probably due the preceding wines being mature. Consistent over an number of bottles now. Excellent wine. World class bargain at what I paid.
96pts+
Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato 2011- There's a few notes above on the 2011 vintage of Ornato and again this was consistent. I really like the way we see Pio Boffa evolve his hand and show a warm and expressive vintage of our new millennium. Delineated and fresh, its ripe and dark showing violets and tar, yet it doesn't tire in your mouth and becomes lively with food.
It's really a good idea to know classics from vintages that sell cheap. 2011 Ornato sits in this perch.
94pts+
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Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato 2004- This was delivered to the venue and not prepared. In effect, popped and poured versus a careful prpeartion of the above line-up with decanter, half decanters and what I felt appropriate in terms of aeration ( max 30 min ) prior a re-pour into a spring water rinsed bottle ( crust removal ) and journey across town to the dinner event.
Earthiness and red licorice, fresh sawn dry cedar and calcarous marl ( Marne of sant 'Agata ).Very powerful wine yet the most austere of the evening. The fruit is still expressive and you see it un-peel at a glacial rate. Preparation of Barolo is critical.
94pts+
Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato 2001- I'll hunt this vintage. It will be perfect in 10 years! Forceful yet shy, shows the site in its late adolescence of maturity with shades of dark fruits in tar. Red notes add complexity too- rose hip tea and dry florals. Long and powerful; a few years away from the elegance inherent with mature Ornato.
98pts+
Dinner Wines- We returned to the the 1986 and 1993 vintages for dinner wines in magnum. Delightful format and it took the above notes a point higher!
I opened two bottles of 1997 Ornato- one was scalped to myself and a few others or overly developed to the majority ( some who liked it ). The other 97 Was complete and alive, buzzing with fruit vibrancy in the gratifying fruit richness of the vintage.
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