2015 Massolino Barolo
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Tasting notes
This is the bread-and-butter wine for the folks at Massolino, and great care is taken to make sure they get it right year after year. The 2015 Barolo is almost all fruit from Serralunga d'Alba (this township makes up 99% of the blend), with a tiny part from Castiglione Falletto. Fruit comes from five vineyard sites, including Briccolina, Collaretto, Broglio and Le Turne, all in Serralunga d'Alba. The tiny part of Castiglione Falletto fruit comes from the Parussi cru. The complex nature of the blend represents old-school Barolo tradition, and it works beautifully in a warm vintage such as this. (That Serralunga d'Alba's rich marlstone soil keeps the moisture of the vintage locked within.) This is a full and exuberant expression with a well-defined profile of spice, rusty nail, potting soil and truffle. Overall, this vintage is accessible, soft and delicious from the start.
Critic scores
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
The 2015 Barolo is bright and beautifully focused, with lovely red berry, orange peel and floral character. Medium in body, translucent and gracious, Massolino's straight Barolo is fabulous in 2015. This is a very pretty, classy wine that readers will be able to enjoy with minimal cellaring. Even so, the straight Barolo has a track record of aging gracefully. Vineyard sites are Briccolina, Collareto, Broglio, Le Turne, all in Serralunga, plus a bit of fruit from Parussi, which is in Castiglione Falletto.
Very fresh and attractive Barolo with abundant red cherries and a wealth of sweet, rose-petal aromas, too. The palate has a very plush, fleshy and juicy core of fruit in the red-cherry zone. The tannins are velvety and long. One of the more approachable 2015s. Drink or hold.
A blend of five crus: Briccolina, Collaretto, Broglio, Le Turne and Parussi. Maceration on the skins for between 15 and 18 days and aged for 24 months in large oak cask. Bottled in August 2018. Fresh, savoury-spicy nose that is a little peppery as well as voluminous. Succulent fruit matched by fine, tannic grip. Elegant as well as gripping on the finish. (WS)