It's amazing how certain wines continue to resonate many months after tasting them. People, like wine, also leave an indelible mark on memory, and when an experience includes both memorable people and wine, it is all the more unforgettable. Such was the case when I visited Chiara Boschis, owner and winemaker of the Azienda Agricola E. PIRA & Figli estate in Piedmont, and tasted her 2003 and 2004 Barolo Cannubi.
Last October Chiara was kind enough to spend the day with me at the Borgogno and E. Pira estate. I remember the excitement and passion in her voice as she spoke about her family's history, her personal story and approach to winemaking. Her fervor is clearly reflected in the quality of her 2003 and 2004 Barolo Cannubi wines. Bypassing traditional winemaking with which the Borgogno name is synonymous, Chiara is part of a group of young winemakers responsible for making Barolo internationally popular by employing modern winemaking, technology, and marketing. This group of modernists is often referred to as the "Barolo Boys." As Chiara is the only female participant, she is known as the "Barolo Girl."
Although recently there has been an increase in the number of female winemakers in Barolo, Chiara is still the "Barolo Girl" who single-handedly operates the E. Pira estate. She oversees everything from vineyard management, winemaking, and bottling, to marketing. As glamorous as that may sound, being the owner/winemaker of your own estate, and the daughter of the Boschis family, is hard work. It requires dedication and sacrifice; there is little time for vacation during the growing season because every day is important. Chiara is there every moment, watching the vineyard out of her bedroom window, with
barriques filling an area most would consider her living room. A petite woman, perhaps 5'4" at most, it is hard to picture her getting dirty and lugging barrels around, but she does it...happily, seriously, and with a great sense of humor, too. She jokingly referred to her climate-control system in her barrel ageing room as Obi-Wan "Cannubi." The device looked more like R2-D2, but still, the reference was funny.
If you meet Chiara Boschis in person, you will find that she not only funny, but also confident, charming, and ambitious. She is an amazing person who, like her wines, will leave a lasting impression. I highly recommend picking up any of Chiara's selections: Barolo Cannubi, Barolo Via Nuova, Barbera d'Alba, or Dolcetto d'Alba. You will not be disappointed. Featured below are two vintages of E. Pira Barolo Cannubi, of which annual production stands at a mere 650 cases.
The 2003 Barolo Cannubi E. Pira is an extraordinary wine for such a warm vintage. It is structured with a floral nose, has ripe, cherry and plum fruit complimented by sweet spice nuances, and firm tannins not found in many 2003s. This wine is quite accessible now, but will benefit from additional bottle ageing.
The 2004 Barolo Cannubi E. Pira, like the 2003, is superb. It has everything you would want in a great bottle of Barolo: musky aromas, rich layered fruit, and notes of mint and eucalyptus, among other spices. For the boldness and depth of this wine, it is balanced, elegant and filled with subtle nuances that reflect the
terroir of the Cannubi vineyard. The finish is long-lasting and suggests that the wine will surely improve with several years' ageing.
2003 Pira, Enrico e Figli - Barolo Cannubi (WA 90, WS 90, IWC 87) $59.95
2004 Pira, Enrico e Figli - Barolo Cannubi (WA 95, IWC 87) $83 / 750 ml or
$197 / 1.5L
