Pio Cesare Ornato Barolo DOCG - 2018

The very first Single Vineyard Barolo produced by the Pio Family, for the first time in 1985. Great structure, power, concentration, with a very long life. Produced in small quantities.

Wine Advocate 94: The 2018 Barolo Ornato reveals some very distant hot-vintage aromas that are vaguely reminiscent of dried raspberry or stewed plum. Nebbiolo is extremely sensitive to the warmer temperatures and even a hint of extra ripeness is easily detected. However, the wine is fluid and ever-evolving. Those fruit-driven aromas soon transition over to brooding complexity with smoke, tar and licorice. The Ornato paints a wide picture of that characteristic Serralunga d'Alba intensity.

James Suckling 96: Complex on the nose, offering a blend of ripe red berries, nutty minerals, orange-peel and spice. Some savory, almost meaty notes, too. Full, compact and intense, yet there’s a graceful feel to the palate, thanks to the really fine web of tannin. Super polish and promise here. Classy. Needs some time. Try from 2025.

Decanter 95: Pio Cesare owns the largest part of Ornato, located between Briccolina and Falletto. The Serralunga character is exquisitely typical here, with wild strawberry and cherry fruit allied to rhubarb and minerality. The attack is silky, with great concentration and savouriness, woven acidity and refined tannins to the persistent finish.

Wine Advocate 94: The Pio Cesare 2019 Barolo Ornato sources its fruit from one of the best-known MGA sites in Serralunga d'Alba. The character of this wine always prizes structure and power, and these qualities are especially evident in a vintage like 2019 that offers more concentrated fruit to begin with. Ornato is infused with dark berry nuances contrasted against savory tones of spice, tar and smoke. It closes with finely textured tannins. Production is 13,029 bottles, 600 magnums and other large formats.

James Suckling 96: This is beautifully crafted with ultra-fine tannins with cherries, berries, and flowers. Medium to full body. Lovely length. Very classic in structure. Linear and racy. Tight at the end. Give it four to six years of bottle age.

Wine Enthusiast 96: The 2019 Ornato highlights how special this vineyard is with grace and structure combined into pure class. Dark cherry aromas are nestled between wild herbs, flowers and savory spices that push and pull your attention with each taste. Sturdy and well-structured, this wine is built for tomorrow, when all parts will relax into one another to reveal just how great this wine is.

Wine Spectator 94: An inviting red, offering ripe plum, cherry, earth, eucalyptus, iron and tobacco flavors. Turns denser and slightly chewy on the finish, where earth and vegetal elements echo. All the components are here, so be patient. Best from 2027 through 2047.

Wine Advocate 95: 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.

James Suckling 98: This is very focused with lots of ripe tannins in the center palate. Very velvety and fine-textured with a pointed character. Medium to full body. Aromas of plums and spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg to the fruit. Bitter citrus. Chewy at the end. Taut muscles. Sophisticated. Needs four or five years to come around. Best after 2030.

Decanter 94: Ornato is deep and earthy, with a layer of sous bois aroma under spicy hedgerow berries. It's framed by sturdy wood, and although it has that Serralunga tannic structure, they are quite silky. There's intensity here but it's a thought-provoking wine rather than giving everything away upfront. There's a gentle sweetness to the cherry and blackberry fruits, and a fine, sapid finish of wild herbs, spice and graphite.

Wine Enthusiast 95: This Barolo from the Ornato vineyard offers enticing aromas of ripe black cherry, cinnamon-spiced cake, candied blood orange zest, and a hint of fresh bay leaf. The palate is exceptionally well-balanced, with a precise, linear structure that showcases flavors of juicy blackberry, dark chocolate, and a touch of vanilla. The wine's impressive length and depth are evident in the long, satisfying finish. Drink 2026-2044.