Country/State: Italy
Region: Piedmont
Varietal: Nebbiolo
Bartolo Mascarello is perhaps most aptly summed up with his anthem, No Barrique, No Berlusconi. As much as it’s a political cry, it also epitomizes this producer’s fierce adherence to tradition. Since Bartolo’s death in 2005, the estate has been in the hands of his daughter, Maria-Teresa, who continues the old-school traditions of large botti, blending across vineyards, and making Barolo for the ages. A Bartolo Mascarello Barolo is simply classic: feminine in its youth yet growing more massy as it ages, perfumed with roses and violets, extraordinarily finessed and ethereal, and replete with that Barolo magical mix of frutti di bosco, tar, and terroir. The seductive ’07 offers a juiciness that’s unusual for Mascarello, but its linear structure, nuance and extended finish show the skilled, loving hands of its maker.
