Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 2020
(Piedmont, Italy) - [DM 97] [VM 94] [JR 17.5]

About the Winery:

•    Bartolo Mascarello was perhaps the Langhe’s staunchest defender of traditional winemaking. His daughter, Maria Teresa, has built on this estate’s noble legacy, making some of Barolo’s most elegant and iconic wines.
•    Organic viticulture is the norm, and winemaking is ultra-traditional, with long macerations and extended aging in large, neutral botti (2,500 – 5,000L) for 30 months. 
•    As did her father, Maria Teresa blends her vineyards to make a single blended Barolo. This is perhaps the most traditional aspect of the Bartolo Mascarello philosophy: the belief that the most balanced, complete Barolo is crafted from the varying qualities of different sites.
•    In keeping with this idea, Maria Teresa’s Barolo comes exclusively from the hearts of the same four time-honored Nebbiolo sites as her father’s Barolo: Canubbi, San Lorenzo and Rué—all in the commune of Barolo—and Rocche dell’Annunziata in the commune of La Morra.

Ratings & Reviews

97 points – Decanter Magazine:
“In the blend of Maria Teresa Mascarello's Barolo 2020, the replanted San Lorenzo vineyard makes a comeback, with a small portion of young-vine fruit. It was harvested on 2 October, while the rest (from Rocche dell'Annunziata and Cannubi) was picked from 4-8 October, after the rain. The result is a wine with a backdrop of very fresh redcurrant fruits, violets, deep spices including liquorice root, as well as hints of linden, almost camphor, and wild strawberry. A defined expression demonstrating a lot of maturity and savouriness.” – Aldo Fiordelli (March 2024)

94 points – Vinous:
"The 2020 Barolo is a very pretty, delicate wine. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, spice, tobacco and dried flowers are all nicely lifted. Medium in body, with fine tannins, the 2020 is impeccably balanced. Today, the 2020 comes across as understated, gracious and classy in a style that is more delicate than it is powerful. Tasted next to the 2019, the 2020 appears to have a bit more mid-palate resonance that is not fully expressive at this stage. This spent 55 days on the skins, including a period of submerged-cap maceration. (Drink between 2028-2045).” – Antonio Galloni (January 2024)

17.5 Points – Jancis Robinson:
"Pale lustrous ruby. Deep, spice and dried cherry with minerally liquorice. Gorgeous lightness of touch with fine, long tannins. Super-elegant, long and captivating- Walter Speller (November 2023)