Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato 2021

98 points James Suckling: "A juicy and fruity wine with round and polished tannins and a flavorful finish. Complex aromas of oyster shells, terra cotta and tar. It’s medium- to full-bodied with tension and well-formed muscles, but always in balance and harmony. Very long aftertaste. Clearly a great wine. Drink after 2028. (8/16/24)"

97 points Wine Enthusiast: "[$180 list] From the historic slopes of Serralunga d'Alba's Cascina Ornato, where Pio Cesare's single vineyard journey began in 1985, emerges a titan of Barolo. Like an ancient tale told in hushed tones, this powerhouse unfolds with brooding dark fruits while star anise and juniper berries weave their spicy narrative through waves of dried black currants. The wine commands attention with mountainous structure and an earthy finale that echoes through time. This is Serralunga's masculine soul captured in a bottle, promising decades of storytelling ahead. Drink from 2028. (Sep 2025)"

96 points Kerin O'Keefe: "The Pio Cesare 2021 Ornato exudes class, starting with its alluring scents of camphor, violet, forest berry and pipe tobacco. Full-bodied, elegantly structured and totally delicious, the palate delivers crushed raspberry, black cherry, licorice and cake spice before a mentholated finish. Firm, fine-grained tannins provide enveloping support while fresh acidity provides impeccable balance and lift. Drink: 2031–2041. Abv: 14.5%. (Feb 2025)"

95 points Audrey Frick (JebDunnuck.com): "A jeweled red color, the 2021 Barolo Ornato has an attractive fragrance of incense, ripe cherries, candied orange peel, minty herbs, sappy earth, and crushed violets. Medium to full-bodied, it offers a good deal of structure, with noble Serralunga tannins, as well as a balanced feel and a long, mouthwatering finish. I am coming to find that I really love this wine from Pio Cesare. Drink: 2027-2050. (May 2025)"

95 points Monica Larner (Wine Advocate): "With fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, The Pio Cesare 2021 Barolo Ornato is deeper, darker and more powerful than the Mosconi. This wine shows aromas of blackberry and plum with smoky cigar, campfire ash and toasted spice. The texture is rich and all-encompassing. The wine shows good structure and freshness to close. Drink: 2026-2043. (Jun 2025)"

94 points Michaela Morris (Decanter): "The estate’s flagship MGA, Ornato has been produced since 1985, selected from the central part of the amphitheatre. Over the years, I have found the pronounced wood imprint has diminished, however it has not lost the robust, muscular signature of this site. The 2021 is classically austere and will require time to reveal its complexities. For now, it hints at iron, tar, scorched earth and cedar wood. Full but tight and absorbed in its rigid tannins, what gives this promise is the juicy acidity, the occasional flicker of fresh rose, and the overall polished texture. Drinking Window: 2028-2040. (1/6/25)"

94 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "The Barolo “Ornato” from Pio Cesare hails from a lovely parcel of old vines that the winery owns in this fine Cru in Serralunga. The 2021 Ornato comes in at 14.5 percent octane in this vintage and is raised primarily in French oak botti for its two and a half years of élevage, but with ten percent of the cuvée allowed to spend its first year in one wine French oak Burgundy casks prior to being racked into botti for the next eighteen months. The wine’s aromatic constellation is superb, reflecting lovely refinement in its mix of red and black cherries, gamebird, distant bonfire, a touch of road tar, roses, just a wisp of fresh oregano, camphor and a very discreet accent of cedary oak from the one year spent in one wine barrels. On the palate the wine is deep, pure and full-bodied, with superb depth at the core, fine soil inflection and grip, firm, chewy and well-integrated tannins and a very, very long and beautifully balanced finish. This is a proper classical Barolo and will need plenty of hibernation time before it starts to drink with generosity, but it is going to be a superb wine once it is ready to drink. 2045-2100. (May/Jun 2025)"