Angelo Gaja paid tribute to Pio Boffa, who died in April 2021.
His daughter Federica, 24, will take over management of the estate, surrounded by a talented staff.
Pio Boffa had also joined the company young, at the age of 26. He was a tireless ambassador for Barolo and Barbaresco around the world, creating demand for Italian wine.
I too made frequent business trips abroad. Importers would often tell me that a week or two before me, Pio Boffa had been there and had been a great success. He was a great proponent of Barolo tout court, the kind that doesn’t bear the name of the vineyard on the label and is made from a skilful blend of grapes from different vineyards. To distinguish it, people started calling it “normal” and “regular” in English, definitions he kindly and promptly corrected.
He chose Giacomo Tachis, the greatest of Italians, and Denis Dubourdieu as his consultants.
He never wanted Pio’s Barolo, just his bottle of Barolo, to suffer from the selection used to produce Barolo with the indication of the vineyard, and he has always offered an exemplary wine of excellence.
Endowed with a sense of humor and exquisite irony, he knew how to smile at himself.
His friends and customers were delighted to enjoy the hospitality he offered in his elegant, classy home.
Dear Pio, thank you for the good lessons you left us, may the earth be light to you.
6 January 2022
