2018 E. Pira e Figli Barolo "Mosconi", Piedmont, Italy
ABOUT THIS WINE
The most recently acquired parcel, the famous Mosconi Cru in Monforte d’Alba was purchased in 2009. The vineyard’s particular heavy clay soil (in some areas calcium carbonate and iron give the soil a reddish-gray color) lends considerable structure to this wine, making it a Barolo ideal for aging. A garnet red color is complimented by open perfumes of flowers and mature fruit with some spicy notes. This is a long-lasting wine of power and concentration with firm, velvety tannins.
This wine is aged at least 2 years in small French oak barrels, lightly toasted and about 1 year of aging in the bottle.
ABOUT THIS PRODUCER
The Pira were an ancient family of winemakers, mentioned in the parish registers since the seventeenth century. Gigi Pira, legendary exponent of the old school of production, created his wines by blending grapes from his own plots of Cannubi, San Lorenzo and Via Nuova. He argued that, just as cows must graze in the best pastures to produce excellent milk, only the best vineyards should be chosen for wine. But Pira's attachment to tradition did not stop there: he was in fact the last remaining winemaker to carry out foot treading and the production without the support of any technical means.
Since 1980, continuity of the estate's practices has been guaranteed by Chiara Boschis and her parents Franco and Ida, already linked to the Pira family by deep friendship and mutual esteem and representing a historic family of Barolo producers from the 18th century, now in its 9th generation. After graduation, Chiara began to follow her passion for wine full-time, becoming one of the first female producers of Barolo by the end of the 1980s. Taking care of this "little big house" has brought a breath of renewal to the cellar and in the style of production.
Since 2010, Chiara has been joined by her brother Giorgio who shares with her the great passion for working in the vineyard and in the cellar; Giorgio also has thirty years of experience. The work on the vines, strictly manual, is carried out with extreme care and respect for the environment, following organic practices, for which the winery has been certified since the 2014 harvest. Production is very limited (about 40,000 bottles per year), coming from grapes of direct production.