by Wanda Mann
Traversing Piedmont in a bouncy van with Cesare Benvenuto Pio behind the wheel and his cousin Federica Boffa Pio riding shotgun, I sensed that there’s no other place in the world where the fifth-generation vintners of Pio Cesare would rather be. Whether we were driving to their historic cellars in downtown Alba, to their vineyards in Barbaresco and Barolo, or to the Boffas’ home for a meal, their joy was palpable, as was their commitment to serving as responsible stewards of their family’s legacy.
Federica is acutely aware that all eyes are on her. The only child of the late Pio Boffa, a beloved icon of Italian wine, Federica became the proprietor of Pio Cesare when her father died at age 66 from COVID-19 in 2021. She was only 23. During my visit last fall, she was preparing to celebrate her 26th birthday.
Federica Boffa Pio and Cesare Benvenuto Pio are fifth-generation vintners at Pio Cesare.
Being tapped to lead an esteemed winery at such a young age while mourning the loss of a parent is almost impossible to fathom, but Federica rose to the occasion. “The most challenging aspect for me is being a very young woman at the helm of a very historical and prestigious brand, operating in a very traditional ‘old man’ business,” she acknowledges. “In the beginning, it was not very easy to present our family and promote our wines, especially old vintages—the majority of them were produced much before my birth—and
This Article was originally published on The SOMM Journal
