Founded in 1881, in northern Italy’s historic Alba, Pio Cesare has been producing elegant Barolo and Barbaresco wines for five generations. The work of its late proprietor, Pio Boffa (1954-2021), elevated the winery’s international status, establishing Pio Cesare as a benchmark brand in the Langhe region of Piedmont. When Pio’s life was prematurely taken by Covid-19 in 2021, his daughter, Federica, then just 23, took the business helm alongside her cousin, Cesare Benvenuto Pio.
Like most little girls, Federica says she “was very much into the world of princesses” as a child – and, given her upbringing, one can easily see why. The Pio Cesare estate comprises almost 80 hectares of fairy-tale-like land in Langhe, an area crowned a UNESCO Heritage Site in 2014.
Federica studied business and marketing at university, but during the weekends and holidays, she spent her time learning agronomy and winemaking. “I knew one day I’d inherit the estate, and that it was my responsibility to protect it and bring it into the future,” she says.
In 2017, she began working alongside her father and after her graduation in 2019, she joined the company full-time, starting in marketing and gradually moving into other areas. “I’m increasingly interested in vinification and viticulture,” she says. “It is important: climate change is reshaping the future of the business, so I have to be well-prepared and knowledgeable.”
L-R: Federica with her father, Pio Boffa, who was immensely appreciated in the industry, considered a trailblazing pioneer and a global ambassador for Italian wine. Pio Cesare vineyards in the Barolo and Barbaresco areas.
She relies on a well-coordinated team, of course, which includes an agronomist who has been with the company for 23 years, and two oenologists who haven’t missed a harvest respectively since 1981 and 1997. “Listening to my team and making them feel [like] the protagonists is key. At the same time, I try not to feel overwhelmed by their experience,” she says. “I respect their opinions, but I always bring a bit of myself [to the process].”
Her father, who was a powerful presence in the industry, has had the biggest impact on her life and continues to influence her decisions today. “He was a polyhedric character, adept at all the different aspects of the business,” Federica says lovingly. “I am trying to apply this attitude because I believe that this has been key to the success of Pio Cesare for 145 years.”
Finding her own path in such a complex and competitive business hasn’t been easy though. “It is very important, in my mind, not to act like my father but to get inspiration from him. Sometimes I make mistakes, but this is what entails growing and gaining success.”
Understandably, Federica battled fear and insecurity when she took over the winery, but she admits she overcame them with “pretend self-confidence”. She adds, “I am not a reflective person, I react when there is something I have to do. Sometimes I think about what my father would do, and sometimes I decide to do the opposite. I try not to think with my head but with my heart. To be successful, you have to shape the business you run with your own personality. Not considering heritage as a burden but a starting point to do better. I hope it’s what I do every day.”
Federica is not the first woman to be at the forefront of Pio Cesare. Her grandmother Rosy Pio, who was born in 1922, was the last direct descendant from the Pio side of the family to run the winery. Sadly, despite her determination and bravery, it was impossible for a woman at that time to lead a wine estate, so she convinced her engineer husband, Giuseppe Boffa, to enter the family business. “Today, the wine industry is very different,” says Federica. “There are a lot of very powerful women who are running important brands. The wine industry is a very positive place to work as a woman.”
Left: Barolo Ornato is a highly prestigious, single-vineyard red wine from Pio Cesare. Produced entirely from Nebbiolo grapes grown in the Ornato vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba, it is known for its full-bodied structure, intense fruit aromas, and significant ageing potential.
Right: The cellars of Pio Cesare are located in the heart of the town of Alba, built directly upon the 2,000-year-old Roman walls of Alba Pompeia.
The responsibility of running a family business in its fifth generation weighs heavily on her shoulders, but it is a load she bears with pride and clarity. “Cesare and I need to be brave, to anticipate and adapt,” she says. “We need to follow the evolution of the vineyards, while still following the evolution of the taste of consumers. We never did that before; we kept our own style.”
New developments set by her and her cousin include the opening of a new portion of the cellar for making white wine. “Personally, I love white wine, so this is a place we can introduce some innovation and increase experimentation, making wine with a strong human character and aging potential.”
They are also improving logistics: a new bottling line and warehouse are set to make the whole operation more efficient and competitive. There are plans to purchase higher-altitude vineyards to create Barolo too, plus new initiatives in sustainability.
For us, it is not a fashion,” Federica shares, “we have always tried to grow our vineyards according to Mother Nature, encouraging biodiversity and sustainable methods of winemaking.”
Equally important is their social commitment. “We do not hire seasonal workers but rely on a year-round team of 15 who live in family houses on the hills, working together as an extended family.”
At 23, Federica Boffa Pio inherited a legacy. Today, at almost 30, she is shaping it – one harvest, one decision, one quiet act of courage at a time.
Author: Alexandra Tilling
Discover more about Pio Cesare wines in our article, Raise the Bar.
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