Pio Cesare Barbaresco Il Bricco 2020

Winery Background and History

Bottega Pio Cesare, founded in Alba in 1881, has earned its place as a benchmark of Piedmontese winemaking. Their Barbaresco Il Bricco is a single-vineyard wine, first released in 1990, aiming to express the elegance and power of Nebbiolo from a distinct terroir in Treiso. This wine reflects the estate’s dedication to terroir-specific bottlings, blending tradition and precision with finesse and depth  .

Producer and Wine Maker

Il Bricco is crafted by the Pio Cesare family’s winemaking team, led by the Boffa family alongside oenologist Paolo Fenocchio. Drawing on generations of expertise, the team employs minimal intervention, attentive selection, and traditional aging to produce a wine of structure, aromatic clarity, and long-term balance  .

Vineyards and Micro Climate

This wine is sourced from very ripe Nebbiolo grapes from multiple plots in the elevated Cascina Il Bricco vineyard in Treiso, reaching up to 410 m above sea level. The site features limestone-clay soils and cool diurnal shifts, offering a prime environment for Nebbiolo to develop aromatic intensity, acidity, and structural elegance  .

Vinification & Aging Methods

After harvesting, the grapes undergo fermentation in stainless steel with about 15–30 days of skin maceration. The wine is aged for 30 months in French oak—70% in new barriques and 30% in 20-hectoliter large casks—creating a finely balanced expression with refined structure and depth  .

Tasting Notes

The 2020 vintage presents a youthful ruby hue with aromas of violets, black raspberry, crushed stone, and blood orange. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, refreshing acidity, and a mouthwatering, snappy finish. It balances ripe fruit with savory notes like plum compote, bay leaf, and ground spices, all held together with elegant structure and harmony  .

Food & Wine Pairing

Ideal with classic Piedmontese fare such as truffle risotto, braised meats, roasted lamb, and aged cheeses. Its complexity and refined structure also complement mushroom risottos, rich pasta sauces, and savory terrines  .

Service Methods and Temperatures

Serve at approximately 17–18 °C in a large, wide-bowled red wine glass. A decant of 20–30 minutes is recommended to allow the wine’s aromas and texture to unfold fully  .

Storage and Aging Potential

This wine is built for longevity, with potential to elegantly evolve for 15 to 20 years or more. With time, expect tertiary aromas like leather, forest floor, spice, and underbrush to emerge while retaining structure and finesse  .

Grape Varietals & percentage used

100 % Nebbiolo  .

ABV

Approximately 14.5 %  .

Scores

James Suckling: 97 points

Wine Enthusiast: 94 points

Wine Advocate (Robert Parker): 94 points

Jeb Dunnuck: 94 points