Wine

Wine: Pio Cesare Barolo Grape: Nebbiolo Region: Piemonte, Italy Vintage: 1992 Pio Boffa, owner of the Pio Cesare winery, is a man with a mission. Each year he travels the world promoting the great wines of the Piemonte in general and Barolo in particular.

He resides in one of the most beautiful wine regions in the world: rolling hills speckled with tiny villages and snow-capped mountains in the distance make the Piemonte a most entrancing place.

Barolo is a wine which must be aged for a number of years before it is fully ready to drink. It should be decanted and allowed to breathe after opening.

At its best, Barolo ranks as one of the world's great wines.

There was a trio of fine Barolo vintages in 1988, 1989 and 1990, and some can still be found on restaurant wine-lists.

The 1993, another good vintage, will be available soon. For the great 1995 we must wait a year or two.

The 1992 Pio Cesare Barolo is a good, easy to drink and pleasant wine and is currently available. As it is from a lesser year it is priced most reasonably. Try it with osso bucco.

Where To Buy: Direct from the importer Omitis (Tel: 2333-0241) at $344 per bottle.