2020 Pio Cesare, Barolo, Ornato

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.

The 2020 Barolo Ornato is an attractive, translucent wine. Sage, mint, pipe tobacco, dried herbs and crushed rose petal play off a core of Nebbiolo fruit. Overall, I find the 2020 a bit too light for this site in the heart of Serralunga.

Serralunga d’Alba. Just mid ruby. Savoury cherry laced with oak and a hint of iron. Youthful sour cherry and bags of grainy tannins that take over from the fruit on the finish. Further bottle age will help. (WS)