Massolino Barolo 2019

“The 2019 Barolo is a very serious wine. Readers looking for an easygoing, entry-level Barolo will not find that here. Bright and sizzling with tannin, the 2019 is going to need at least a few years to fully come together. Crushed rocks, red/purplish fruit and dried flowers emerge with some coaxing, but this is really a wine for the cellar. It is also probably the most reticent straight Barolo I tasted for this report.” 92 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous

“Lots of lavender, raspberry and orange blossom aromas follow through to a medium body, with fine tannins and a polished finish. Shows lovely drive and balance. Clear and fine. Drink after 2025.” 93 points, James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

Diam. First produced in 1911, the fruit for Massolino’s classic cuvée is selected from seven sites across roughly seven hectares of prime-sited Serralunga vineyards. The most important of these sites—Briccolina, Collareto, Broglio and Le Turne—are dotted around the town itself (Le Turne borders Margheria, while Collareto lies next to Vigna Rionda)—so we are talking quality real estate. The 2019 also includes a little declassified fruit from Massolino’s Parussi Cru. Vine age varies from 10 to 55 years.

This is the second year that Massolino’s Barolo wines were fermented in large wooden casks, or tini (previously the wines were fermented in concrete). While the Cru wines below are now fermented exclusively in oak—which Giovanni Angeli credits with imparting even more finesse—half of this Barolo was still fermented in concrete. This cuvée spent around 20 days on skins and the final blend was matured for 30 months in large Slavonian oak casks. As always, a wonderful value.

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