Description
“Massolino turned out set of striking Barolos in 2016. The wines are vibrant and super- expressive of site. In recent years, the Massolinos have moved towards gentler winemaking, which really allows the purity of the fruit, while retaining the classic style the estate is known for.” Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Founded in 1896, Massolino Winery, is based in and around the town of Serralunga, one of the prime sub-zones of the Barolo DOC.
The Massolino family’s greatest asset is of course their 23 hectares of (mostly) Serralunga vineyards, including choice parcels of such famous sites as; Margheria, Parafada and the legendary Vigna Rionda. We say ‘mostly’ as the Massolino clan recently purchased a slice of the Parussi cru in Castiglione Falletto. Serrralunga, on the eastern edge of the Barolo DOCG, produces some of most profound and long lived Barolo. It is the home of great names such as Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa’s Falletto vineyard. The wines often have an extra stuffing of intense Nebbiolo fruit as well as a remarkable minerality that plays on both the freshness of the tannins and gives the wines a certain ferrous edge when young.
It is fair to say that Massolino holds the most remarkable collection of vineyards in Serralunga, amongst the smaller, quality focused producers anyway. The quality strides at this estate over the last 10-15 years have been remarkable with significant advances made, particularly in the vineyards. Certainly there has also been refinements in the cellars, firstly by Franco Massolino and then by current winemaker Giovanni Angeli (ex Vajra) who has been working with Franco since the 2005 harvest. As always however, it has been the work in the vineyards and the search for expressive and perfectly ripe fruit that has driven the rise in quality at this estate. The resultant improvement here has been very good news for both the commune and Barolo in general. Today the wines of Massolino sit comfortably among the finest of the region – they are wines of wonderful purity and elegance. They are exclusively aged in large casks, so they are ‘traditional’ and yet they offer the best of the “old” and “new” worlds: pure, aromatic, textural, deeply flavoured wines that are at the same time precise, vibrant and distinctly regional. These are wines that score extremely highly on our deliciousness scale. Equally important, these wines are remarkably well priced when compared to the other top producers of the area.
Of the 2016 vintage ….
“The 2016 vintage is epic. The 2010 vintage comes close to 2016, thanks to that careful balance of elegance and power, but 2016 achieves almost startling focus and purity that puts it ahead.” Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate
“For many growers, the 2016s are not just epic, they are career-defining wines … the 2016s are incredibly expressive of site, which is one of the most fundamental qualitative attributes shared by all great Piedmont vintage… a vintage full of truly spectacular, breathtaking wines that captures all the pedigree that Nebbiolo and Barolo are capable of.” Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“In this vintage Nebbiolo shines as never before, both in clarity and vibrancy, heralding a new era for Barolo. After 2010 and, with reservations, 2013, Barolo lovers will yet again want them in their cellars.” Walter Speller, Jancisrobinson.com
Winemaker Giovanni Angeli said of 2016 ..“What we have produced at Massolino in 2016 are the greatest wines I have ever been involved with.”
First produced in 1911, the fruit for Massolino’s classic cuvée is selected from seven sites across roughly seven hectares of prime 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 quality real estate folks (as Joe Biden might say), especially at this price. The 2016 also includes a little declassified fruit from Massolino’s Parussi Cru, just across the border in Castiglione Falletto. Vine age across all sites varies from 10 to 55 years old.
Importantly, 2016 was the first year that Massolino’s Barolo wines were fermented in large wooden casks, or tini. Previously the wines were fermented in concrete. This cuvée spent around 18 days on skins before pressing to cask. As always, the wine was aged exclusively in large Slovenian oak casks—for this release, with 30 months maturation.
95 points Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator “A stream of pure, juicy cherry fruit is at the heart of this red, along with mineral, tobacco and wild herb notes. Firm and tightly wound, with a matrix of dense, refined tannins for support. All the elements are in the right proportions, this just needs time. Best from 2023 through 2045.”
92 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media, February 2020: “Massolino’s 2016 Barolo is a gorgeous wine that brings together all the best qualities of the year. Bright and pliant, yet with terrific structural intensity, the 2016 is a wonderfully complete, harmonious Barolo that will delight readers for the next 15 to 20 years. Dark cherry, plum, lavender, spice, menthol and licorice add striking shades of nuance. Massolino’s straight Barolo is a fabulous wine in its peer group. Vineyard sources include Briccolina, Collareto, Brolio and Le Turne. Drink 2023 – 2036″
“The classic Massolino 2016 Barolo sources its fruit from Serralunga d’Alba, although a tiny percentage of Castiglione Falletto is part of the blend. This wine is linear and tight, with an arsenal of important Nebbiolo aromas ranging from red cherry and cassis to spice, smoke, licorice, dried ginger, rusty nail and blood orange. What really stands out is the structural importance of the wine. It delivers firmness and strength, while allowing the delicate side of the grape to coexist without interference.” 94 points, Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate
“Invariably an excellent wine, and most often one that will delight with bottle age. It’s a beautiful and finely wrought expression of Barolo. Red fruits, flowers, some sweet spices, liquorice root. Medium-bodied, clear and bright, a fine dusting of tannin, some spice and dried herb, and a cool and precise finish of good length. It’s not, perhaps, the longest of most intense of wines, but it lays on the charm so convincingly. And, I suspect, there’s a bit more goodness to be let out of the bottle.” 93+ points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
RRP $117 *Our Special Price $98.99 – VERY LIMITED*
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