E. Pira – Chiara Boschis: The Soul of the 2022 “Modern Classic”
In the world of Barolo, Chiara Boschis is more than a winemaker; she is a revolutionary. As the first female
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Producer
Chiara Boschis
I have reviewed five wines from Chiara Boschis, from the 2022 to 2024 vintages, across Barolo and Langhe. All are Nebbiolo. Scores range from 91 to 95, averaging 93; the highest is the 2024 E Pira Chiara Boschis Barolo Chinato (95 points). Chiara Boschis also features in one journal article on this site.
Chiara Boschis is one of Barolo’s most compelling figures. She has led the historic E. Pira & Figli estate since 1990, among the first women to run a major Barolo house in a historically male-dominated region, and was a pivotal member of the “Barolo Boys,” the young producers who turned the Langhe upside down in the 1980s and 90s. She was at the forefront of the shift to small French barriques to tame Nebbiolo’s fierce tannins; today her style has settled into a middle ground of precision and tradition, with elegance and approachability still at its core.
She describes her three Barolos as having different souls. Cannubi, from the most famous hill in Barolo, grows on sandy, calcareous soil and is her “ballerina on her toes”: light and graceful, with hidden strength and the hill’s signature mint and eucalyptus. Mosconi, in Monforte d’Alba, sits on heavy, iron-rich clay and is the titan, broad and muscular. Via Nuova, the “new road,” blends six crus across Barolo, Monforte and Serralunga into the most complete wine of the range.
The Langhe Nebbiolo, from prime parcels in La Morra, is a serious wine to drink while the Barolos age, and the Barolo Chinato, aromatized with herbs, spices and cinchona bark, keeps the traditional depth that makes it one of the great digestifs. In the hot 2022 vintage her wines stayed luminous and restrained — a triumph of finesse over heat.
2022 E Pira Chiara Boschis Via Nuova Barolo
The “New Road” is outstanding for its pure savoriness in 2022. It is a vibrant, mid-weight Barolo that perfectly balances
2022 E Pira Chiara Boschis Mosconi Barolo
A total powerhouse. This is one of the most refined expressions of Mosconi we’ve seen, managing to maintain its structural
2022 E Pira Chiara Boschis Cannubi Barolo
The 2022 Cannubi is a triumph of finesse over heat. It is deep and restrained, showing a sleek elegance that
2024 E Pira Chiara Boschis Langhe Nebbiolo
Don’t call this an “entry-level” wine; it is a serious Nebbiolo sourced from prime parcels in La Morra. The 2024
2024 E Pira Chiara Boschis Barolo Chinato
The ultimate conclusion to an Italian dinner. Chiara’s Chinato is a labor of love—a fortified Barolo aromatized with a secret