Pietro Boffa established his family winery in the centro of the town of Barbaresco in 1968; the current proprietors are Pietro’s son Carlo, Carlo’s wife, Laura, and their son Gabriele. They also run a popular B&B next door to the winery called Casa Boffa. Pajè is a highly-regarded Barbaresco cru (single vineyard) that the Boffa family shares with Roagna and two members of the Produttori del Barbaresco, from which the cooperativa makes a riserva bottling. Boffa’s Pajè ferments in stainless steel tanks for a couple of weeks and then ages in 2500-liter Slavonian oak botti - the traditional aging vessel for Barbaresco and Barolo.
This is classic, old-school, mature Barbaresco: dark red fruits, earth, liquorice, menthol, and spice. It is great right out of the bottle, so pour it into a Burgundy or other wide stem and enjoy. Braised beef is a classic pairing, but the tannins are fully resolved, so you have plenty of other options, including mushrooms, lentil stew, and aged cheeses.
