Giuseppe Mascarello Langhe Nebbiolo, Italy, 2018

About The Producer

Mauro Mascarello and his legendary Barolo Monprivato represent the culmination of more than 130 years of great Giuseppe Mascarello wines.

Visiting Cantina Giuseppe Mascarello & Figli is in some ways a bit like traveling back in time: the winery is full of ancient, enormous botti, and though the largest casks are no longer in use, the family traditions still reign. Fermentations are slow, in concrete and steel; aging is long, in large oak botti ranging from 20 to 70 years of age. There are no tricks to doll the wines up. Farming decisions are made with an eye not only to the current vintage, but to future generations of Mascarellos.

However visiting Mascarello isn’t just stepping into the past: a visit is being welcomed into a space where you can feel the profound connection between the present and what has come before, the thread that ties today’s Piedmont to its rich and wonderful history.

Elena and her brother, Giuseppe, are the latest Mascarellos to carry the thread forward, and they're doing it beautifully, which shows in the wines. The family has some of Piedmont's greatest terroirs, including Monprivato (often called “the Musigny of Barolo”). They do what they need to do to allow those terroirs to shine year after year, in each new vintage’s unique voice.

Mauro’s Langhe Nebbiolo is Barolo in everything but name only. The fruit comes mostly from the Santo Stefano Vineyard in Monforte, with a little Castiglione Falletto in the mix too, and is selected at harvest for this cuvée (vs. the Barolo). It is fermented with a slightly shorter maceration of 15-20 days and then aged in those same, big, ancient botti for 14 months. The idea is to produce a wine with the classic elegance and nuance of the estate that is ready to drink much sooner than the Barolo.

Grape / Blend

100% Nebbiolo

Origin

Piedmont, Italy

Tasting Notes

Garnet red with purplish highlights. Fruity aroma of ripe grapes, vinous, intense, varietal. Taste is dry, round, well-bodied, tannic. Pair with red meats in general, cheeses in general, main courses.

Product size: 750ml