$109.99
| /
Region: Piedmont
Grapes: Nebbiolo
First Glance: Bright, Mineral, Structured
Acclaim: 94pts
The Wine:
The Massolino was founded in 1896, and it is one of the premier estates in the Serralunga sub-region of Barolo. Apart from making highly acclaimed wines, Massolino is significant for being the first producer to bottle a single-vineyard Barolo back in 1982 - something which is now very much in vogue, with the more recent official introduction of the MGA vineyard classification. The new rules offers producers the option of labelling their wines with specific vineyards or communes, as opposed to relying solely on house style and age designations to stand out from the crowd.
This, however, is the estate's straight Barolo, a blend of several vineyard sites as is, and has always been, the norm in the Barolo region. Most of the fruit is sourced in the Serralunga commune, with a little support from a vineyard in neighbouring Castiglione Faletto. The wine is fermented with natural yeasts in 50% concrete tank and 50% large vats. This cuvée spends around 20 days on skins and the final blend was matured for 30 months in large Slovenian oak casks.
The Review:
James Suckling - 94pts
"Pure, yet savory, with a stony, mineral punch to the orange peel, strawberries and dried herbs. I love the clarity and the tautness on the palate, with elegant but gutsy flavors of minerals and fruit, together with firm tannins that show Barolo etherealness and power at the same time. Already approachable. Drink now or hold"
