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Tasting notes
Potent and explosive in feel, the 2006 Barolo (magnum) is a brooding, imposing wine. Dark fruit, menthol, spice and mocha infuse the 2006 with notable depth. As impressive as the 2006 is, there is a slightly advanced quality that is worth watching over the next few years. It’s hard to say if that nuance has always been present, or if it simply made more evident because of the presence of so many strong vintages in this tasting. Either way, it seems pretty obvious that the 2006 doesn’t reach the level of more recent vintages. Of course, it is also possible this particular magnum was not totally perfect.
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Average Score
Tamlyn Currin, jancisrobinson.com
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
The 2006 Barolo is one of my all time favorite Bartolo Mascarello wines. It won’t be ready to drink anytime soon. Beams of tannin give the 2006 its imposing, vertical personality. The 2006 is a Barolo for classically-leaning palates and readers who have the time to be patient. Even so, the 2006 is a utterly majestic tonight.
While the 2004 is a finessed wine, the 2006 Barolo is all brute power and intensity. Raw and explosive, with tons of underlying structure, the 2006 simply dazzles from the very first taste. With time in the glass, a host of dark, balsamic-inflected notes start to blossom. Even so, the 2006 is a wine to bury in the deepest corner of the cellar and forget about for at least another 5-10 years, as it is very much still on the ascent. What a wine.
I really appreciate well-made bottles from this tradition-bound producer. This wine shows aromas and flavors of hazelnut, milk chocolate and berry. Full and round with soft tannins and a pretty finish. Wonderfully balanced. Bright and lively.
About the producer
Bartolo Mascarello is one of the most respected, traditionalist Barolo producers. The Piedmont estate makes one of the region’s finest expressions of Nebbiolo.