The first time I tasted Massolino’s wines was amongst 10 Baroli from the 2004 vintage devoured in 2015. As it turned out half were good, half, not so good! The Massolino’s sat firmly in the good half. The standard Barolo was a stunner. The Massolino Dieci Anni (10 years) Vigna Rionda Riserva was a revelation. Only released in the best years it was superb. Balanced, complex, so inviting.
Today we offer the 2015 Barolo, Cru’s Margheria, Parussi and Parafada as well as the 2013 Vigna Rionda.
There’s a sneaky splash of back vintages too!
Some exciting news for the future, Massolino now have agreements to access some quality Barbaresco fruit, including from the vineyard of Starderi. If Olek Bondonio’s 2016 Starderi is anything to go by, we’re in for some fun starting 2022!
About Massolino
Founded in 1896, Massolino Winery, is based in and around the town of Serralunga, one of the prime sub-zones of the Barolo DOC.
The Massolino family’s greatest asset is of course their 23 hectares of (mostly) Serralunga vineyards, including choice parcels of such famous sites as; Margheria, Parafada and the legendary Vigna Rionda. We say ‘mostly’ as the Massolino clan recently purchased a slice of the Parussi cru in Castiglione Falletto. Serrralunga, on the eastern edge of the Barolo DOCG, produces some of most profound and long lived Barolo. It is the home of great names such as Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa’s Falletto vineyard. The wines often have an extra stuffing of intense Nebbiolo fruit as well as a remarkable minerality that plays on both the freshness of the tannins and gives the wines a certain ferrous edge when young.
It is fair to say that Massolino holds the most remarkable collection of vineyards in Serralunga, amongst the smaller, quality focused producers anyway. The quality strides at this estate over the last 10-15 years have been remarkable with significant advances made, particularly in the vineyards. Certainly there has also been refinements in the cellars, firstly by Franco Massolino and then by current winemaker Giovanni Angeli (ex Vajra) who has been working with Franco since the 2005 harvest. As always however, it has been the work in the vineyards and the search for expressive and perfectly ripe fruit that has driven the rise in quality at this estate. The resultant improvement here has been very good news for both the commune and Barolo in general. Today the wines of Massolino sit comfortably among the finest of the region – they are wines of wonderful purity and elegance. They are exclusively aged in large casks, so they are ‘traditional’ and yet they offer the best of the “old” and “new” worlds: pure, aromatic, textural, deeply flavoured wines that are at the same time precise, vibrant and distinctly regional. These are wines that score extremely highly on our deliciousness scale. Equally important, these wines are remarkably well priced when compared to the other top producers of the area.
About the 2015 Massolino Vintage
Giovanni sums up the wines as being vibrant, with bright acidity, balance, complexity, power, with finesse of fruit and tannins.
“Brothers Franco and Roberto Massolino turned out a gorgeous set of 2015 Barolos. The Massolinos gave the 2015s about 21 days on the skins. Both primary and secondary fermentation were done in cement, and the wines were aged in cask. More than those details, though, these Barolos stand out because they are very expressive to site, something that was not easy to achieve in 2015.” Antonio Galloni, vinous.com
🎧 Listen as Giovanni introduces the Wines and Vineyards
2017 Langhe Nebbiolo & 2015 Barolo DOCG
Langhe Nebbiolo is a combination of younger vines where root penetration is less deep and they have less access to water and microelements that are important for the quality of fruit. DOCG fruit that hasn’t reached appropriate quality to move into DOCG. Soils for the vineyards supplying these wine are good for water retention for vine growth and acid retention for wine balance. Langhe Nebbiolo sees 1 year in large casks up to 10,000L. Large cask size helps the wines retain freshness and does not impart any oak character. Classic Barolo, warm dry summer, with good water availability from the good winter snow providing water reserves. Early picking 29 September, normally, mid-October. They had phenolic ripeness, good sugar and fruit.
Using shorter maceration to retain finesse and balance. Gentler handling of the fruit. Have introduced oak fermenters for fermentation, providing micro-oxygenation to stabilise tannins. We have explored this in the Wine Decoded Bathtub Wineamaking Project.
2015 Cru’s Magheria, Parafada and Parussi
In the Vineyards
Detailed viticulture has become much more the norm over the last few decades. The efforts in the vineyards making them more sustainable with chemical usage dropping. In response to a warming climate many practices are employed to help water retention in the soils and additional of natural nutrients. Mustard cover crops with deep root penetration help oxygen and water make its way into the subsoil. Pea add nitrogen. Candling or wrapping of the excess shoot growth instead of mechanical trimming, giving the vines a hair cut, helps with water and acid retention. In turn the acid retention helps keep fruit flavours fresh. Combined this making wines that are much more approachable in their youth yet still have great ageing potential.
Overall seeking a more balanced vineyard to give more balanced wine.
Margheria – Serralunga. Atypical Serralunga soil. Less clay, a little more sand. Makes for a wine that is much more expressive and approachable even at release. Giovanni suggests it is more similar to the wines of western Barolo with softer tannins.
Parafada – Serralunga. Soil with lots of clay and more compact soil. Typically shows much of tannin and masculinity. More typical of Serralunga. Giovanni feels the vines have really found a balance over the last few years and the resulting wines are good drinking even in the first few years.
Parussi – Castiglione Falleto. From the north side. Lighter soil with less clay and more limestone, silt and sand. Tannins are raw and rustic in the beginning and take more time for the tannins to become as elegant as the tannins of Serralunga.
2013 Vigna Rionda
Incredible variation in aspect over short distances across Serralunga. This results in the possibility for diversity of styles across the region. Vigna Rionda is one of the special sites, very complex soils, Giovanni considers 2013 a classical vintage similar to those both the 1990’s. Cooler vintage than 2015. Long slow maturation. A short winter resulted in earlier bud-burst, a long slow maturation, cooler temperatures offering more rustic tannins. Nebbiolo finished picking on the 5th of November 2-3 weeks after normal. The rustic tannins demanded additional oak maturation. Extending from the typical 3½ years to 5 years in oak to achieve balance and integration between acidity and tannins. 2013 will overall requires a little more time.
2006 short and dry with little water available. Vines were stressed for a few days. Wine is very concentrated, powerful and rich. Typical of a vintage when vines are stressed. In these circumstance, vines produce polyphenols to rippen seeds to reproduce and survive. 2006 Barolo are very rich in polyphenols (tannins). Normally 3-3.5 grams per liter polyphenols in 2006 levels reached 6g/L.
2001 perfect weather conditions, good water reserves, no temperature peaks. Picked by 15 October. Very complete wines, good power, great acidity, fresh and vibrant with fine and elegant tannins.
Wine Decoded’s Chief Wine Hacker – Paul Kaan’s Thoughts on the 2015’s
The 2015’s area great set of wines. The quality in the DOCG Barolo or Normale alone is exceptional. The 3 Cru’s are stunners. 3 unique personalities. All with great complexity and layering. The wines are elegant, sophisticated, with entrancing perfumes and the tannin profiles of each are individual. The vibrancy and energy of the wines with their trademark line and length of acid shines through. They are all of exceptionally high quality, layered and just divine. Giovanni raises such well rounded harmonious wines. Almost Burgundian in nature.
Barolo DOCG Tasting this yesterday, my first thoughts were this was the best DOCG I’d had from Massolino. Thoughts echoed shortly after by winemaker Giovanni Agnelli. The wine has a lovely line and length. Great purity, initially it seemed tightly coiled, opened quickly to reveal an enticing perfume, generosity of fruit, layering and savouriness. Add to that a little liquorice and tar. The wine has great harmony, depth and length. Just delicious.
Margheria – Serralunga d’Alba. A beautiful expression of Nebbiolo. Precise, you see a jump in depth, length and layering for the Barolo DOCG. The signature texture of this and all the Baroli is beautiful, natural, layered grape tannins. In the case of Margheria they are incredibly supple. The core of fruit is exceptional with ripe, mid to dark sour cherries. It almost feels a little bit more like something from the Commune di Barolo. It draws you into the glass, one of those wines that sees your heart flutter a little on smelling it.
Parafada – Serralunga d’Alba. These are Massolino’s oldest vines. The wine is much tighter than the expressive Margheria at the moment. The tannins bolder and firmer, and, of incredible quality and depth. Again the core of fruit is exceptional with great depth and length. In a straight jacket at the moment, it is just waiting to explode! And, undoubtedly will.
Parussi – Castiglione Falletto. Excellent energy in the Parussi, great to see it back in the line up after a hiatus in 2014. Immediately more open than the Parafada. Powerful and bold, yet sophisticated at the same time. Again great depth and length. Exceptional core of fruit. Those tarry characters and line and length of acid showing again.
2013 Vigna Rionda Riserva What a difference a couple of years makes. The 2013 Vigna Rionda saw 5 years in Botti compared to the normal 3 ½ followed by time in bottle. Loads of intrigue. Expressive perfume. A little lift. It has such a powerful persistent core of fruit. The 2013 reveals slightly more rustic, edgy tannins. They’re playful, and, I like them! The layering the wine lifts another notch compared to the ‘standard’ Cru’s. We also tasted the 2006 and 2001 Dieci Anni releases. 2006 showing a bold, dark and brooding, moving into that third phase of development with loads of truffly secondaries. The 2001 perhaps at it’s peak, quite developed, elegant, delicate, and fun. Loads of complexity, leather, still a lovely core of fruit and fine acid. The fruit building on the plate after swallowing!
Your tongue will thank you!
*We will only receive a few bottles of the Crus. 1st come 1st served.
Massolino Barolo 2015
About the Wines
The 2015 Selection
Barolo DOCG 2015
First produced in 1911, the fruit for Massolino‘s classic cuvée is selected from seven sites (inc. Briccolina, Collaretto, Broglio and Le Turne), representing roughly seven hectares of prime-sited Serralunga vineyards. The vines that feed this bottling are between 10-55 years of age, and it spends 24 months in large Slovenian oak casks. This is normally 100% Serralunga but, this year, all of the fruit harvested from the Parussi vineyard in Castiglione Falletto, (about 25% of the normal yield and not enough to make a single cru wine this year), went into this wine. As the note below makes clear, this is an absolutely outstanding release of this wine – perfumed and pure-fruited with juicy redcurrant, rose and tobacco notes and a fine succulent structure.
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.
Tasting this in July 2019, my first thoughts were this was the best DOCG I'd had from Massolino. Thoughts echoed shortly after by winemaker Giovanni Agnelli. The wine has a lovely line and length. Great purity, initially it seemed tightly coiled, opened quickly to reveal an enticing perfume, generosity of fruit, layering and savouriness. Add to that a little liquorice and tar. The wine has great harmony, depth and length. Just delicious.
Barolo DOCG Margheria 2015
The Margheria vineyard is one of Serralunga’s most important and illustrious sites. The Massolino family bought their first parcel here in 1964 and the rest throughout the ‘70s. They currently hold 1.5-hectares making them one of the three main owners in this 8.1-hectare vineyard, along with Gaja and Luigi Pira. Sitting at 340-metres above sea level, Margheria is a very chalky vineyard with a good percentage of sand, which brings perfume, finesse and a spicy, mineral complexity. In a sense, it is atypical of Serralunga in terms of both the sandiness in the soil and the elegance and prettiness of the wine. It is also the Massolino wine that drinks best when young. This was aged in botti for around 24 months before bottling and then remained in bottle for a further year before release. True to form this is so perfumed and pretty with bright cherry, grenadine and floral, sappy aromas and flavours. So delicious now with food but Galloni is quite right to suggest that it will only get better and better with age.
Massolino's 2015 Barolo Margheria is a powerful, driven wine that shows the sinewy muscles of Serralunga off to great effect. Dark red cherry, plum, iron, sage, smoke, white pepper and rose petal open up in the glass, but the Margheria is a wine of structure, power and depth, its mid-weight feel notwithstanding. As is often the case, the Margheria is a beguiling wine that shows the flavor and textural complexity Nebbiolo can reach in Piedmont's top sites.
Aromas of plums, cherries and flowers. Sandalwood, too. Medium-to full-bodied with firm and silky tannins that are chewy. Tannic finish, yet finesse and refinement at the end. Try in 2022.
A beautiful expression of Nebbiolo. Precise, you see a jump in depth, length and layering for the Barolo DOCG. The signature texture of this and all the Baroli is beautiful, natural, layered grape tannins. In the case of Margheria they are incredibly supple. The core of fruit is exceptional with ripe, mid to dark sour cherries. It almost feels a little bit more like something from the Commune di Barolo. It draws you into the glass, one of those wines that sees your heart flutter a little on smelling it.
Barolo DOCG Margheria 2013
A Barolo with lots of cherry jam, chocolate and hazelnut character. Flowers too. Medium body and beautifully polished tannins with a fantastic texture. Hard not to drink now but made for aging.
Tasted from cask, the 2013 Barolo Margheria is a classic Serralunga wine endowed with serious tannins, soaring aromatics and fabulous depth. Rose petal, savory herbs and licorice give the wine much of its layered, sensual appeal. Still raw and in need of further aging, the 2013 is shaping up to be a real beauty.
Barolo DOCG Parussi 2015
The vineyard “Parussi” is located in Castiglione Falletto.
The excellent south-easterly/south-westerly exposure of the vineyard, situated on the crest of the hill, in the Parussi, sub-zone, guarantees the production of extraordinary quality grapes, with the tannic structure and expression of the land of Castiglione Falletto. Altitude: 300 m above sea level
Total surface area: 1.3 hectares
Soil composition: calcareous, clayey and sandy.
Training system and vine density: traditional Guyot, with about 5,000 vines per hectare.
Yield per hectare: 4.5 tons.
Average age of vines: 40 years.
Harvest: manual, in the second half of October.
First year of production: 2007.
Total bottles produced: from 4,000 to 5,000 0.75-litre bottles (depending on the vintage).
Alcohol content: 13.5-14.5% by Vol. (depending on the vintage).
Vinification and ageing: a traditional Barolo, 15-20 days of fermentation and maceration at 31-33°C; aged in oak barrels for about 30 months and left to mature in bottles placed in special dark, cool cellars for about a year.
Note: the excellent south-easterly/south-westerly exposure of the vineyard situated on the crest of the hill, in the Parussi sub-zone, guarantees the production of excellent quality grapes. The very calcareous soil conveys a remarkable structure with quite strong tannins.
The 2015 Barolo Parussi is the most powerful and immediate of the Massolino 2015 Barolos. Dark cherry, plum, lavender, menthol, spice, tar and licorice fill out the wine's ample frame effortlessly. In this range, the Parussi is also the Barolo that most clearly shows the natural richness of the year, and it does so to great effect. Plush, sensual and inviting, the 2015 will drink well with minimal cellaring, although time in bottle will only help.
Dark-berry, spice and dried-flower aromas that follow through to a full body, tight and integrated tannins and a long and vivid finish. Very compact and polished. One of the best Parussi I have tasted from here.
Excellent energy in the Parussi, great to see it back in the line up after a hiatus in 2014. Immediately more open than the Parafada. Powerful and bold, yet sophisticated at the same time. Again great depth and length. Exceptional core of fruit. Those tarry characters and line and length of acid showing again.
Barolo DOCG Parafada 2015
In 1957, Parafada became the Massolino family’s first iconic parcel of Serralunga and it is still home to their oldest vines. Massolino own a 1.13-hectare parcel in this 7.92-hectare vineyard. It’s a steep vineyard that rises from 300 to 340-metres a.s.l. and faces due south, catching the full face of the sun. These factors, plus the denser, more compact, lime/clay soils typically result in the richest, most powerful wine of the three Serralunga crus. Again, this is a wine that is getting better and better with each vintage, producing better balanced and more delicious wines than ever before. Much denser than the Margheria, this offers layers of red plum, orange zest, tobacco and earthy aromas and flavours and a chewy, structured persona. Again, it is great with the right food and a good decant now but will start to be at its best from 5-10 years.
The 2015 Barolo Parafada is another gorgeous wine in this lineup. As always, the Parafada is defined by its huge center of fruit and ample, broad-shouldered feel. Whereas Margheria and Vigna Rionda - the other two Serralunga Barolos in this range - are more aromatically expressive, the Parafada is a wine of density and mid-palate resonance. These vines, planted in 1960 (the estate's oldest) confer weight and gravitas. In this vintage, the Parafada is particularly beautiful.
A moody nose with deep blue flowers - roses and violets - and blue plums, as well as a glossy, black stony edge. The nose is incredibly alluring. The palate has a very concise, sturdy and deep core of flavors that follow the aromas into blue-plum territory. Plush, long and commanding tannins. Style and grace. Try from 2023.
These are Massolino's oldest vines. The wine is much tighter than the expressive Margheria at the moment. The tannins bolder and firmer, and, of incredible quality and depth. Again the core of fruit is exceptional with great depth and length. In a straight jacket at the moment, it is just waiting to explode! And, undoubtedly will.
Barolo DOCG Parafada 2013
Pretty aromas of wet earth and spices with black pepper and licorice. Medium body with full and defined tannins. Dense and powerful. Need three or four years to soften but will come along beautifully.
Tasted from cask. The 2013 Barolo Parafada is dense and powerful through the middle. The Parafada often has a big center of fruit and fewer of the more ethereal, perfumed aromatics of the Margheria and Rionda. That is exactly what comes through here. Dark cherry, iron, smoke and expressive floral notes wrap around a core of intense fruit.
Barolo DOCG Vigna Rionda Riserva 2013
“If you ask a resident of Serralunga to name the town’s three finest vineyards, one of the trio is sure to be Vigna Rionda … It is an historic vineyard. The quality of its grapes has been celebrated for hundreds of years and the greatest names in the Langhe have for many years made special efforts to acquire grapes from Vigna Rionda.” Slow Food’s A Wine Atlas of the Langhe (2008)
Vigna Rionda is historically the most revered vineyard of Serralunga, the source of some of the greatest, finest, yet most robust and long-lived Barolo. The soil here is similar to the Parafada vineyard (limey/chalky marls), yet it is deeper again, there is more chalk and also a higher concentration of minerals and oxidized iron elements. The deeper soils, the altitude of 330 metres above sea level and the protection from northern winds and frost that the south/southwestern slopes affords means that Vigna Rionda has a longer growing season than the other crus. All these factors combine to produce a terroir that gifts wines with an optimum balance of perfume, finesse and structure rarely found elsewhere in Barolo. It also produces a wine with excellent acidity and tannins that require a longer ageing in botti and bottle. That is why it is released with a minimum six years of age.
The Massolino family are the largest holders in the Vigna Rionda with 3.5 hectares (2 planted to Nebbiolo). The wine from this exceptional site begins life as a coiled spring, which is why Massolino releases it with extra age: at six years (for the standard Riserva release) and ten-plus years for the Dieci X Anni release. With enough age, Vigna Rionda blossoms into an intensely perfumed, ultra-fine, pure and succulent wine with very fine tannins. Drawn from 38-45 year old vines, Franco Massolino expresses that the 2011 Riserva has been building up to a simmer; that, in Piemonte, the top growers are whispering that the best 2011s are much closer to the quality of 2010 than initially thought. Here’s a case in point, though the style is more swashbuckling – open and succulent – than its 2010 counterpart. The notes below do the wine justice. So much personality; beguiling purity of soft fruit, balanced and penetrating, with streamlined acidity and a lick of oyster shell contributing vineyard flavour. A very, very impassive, resonant Vigna Rionda. Oh, Serralunga! as Luigi Veronelli might have sighed.
The 2013 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is a powerhouse. Not surprisingly, Massolino gave the 2013 an extra year in cask to soften the fierce tannins, but that may not have been enough. The 2013 remains potent and explosive in the glass, with searing tannins and tons of intensity. From time to time, Rionda aromatics emerge, but only with great reluctance. Readers will have to be patient with the 2013. I don't see it being ready to deliver pleasure any time soon. The 2013 was stunning from barrel, and will likely be equally compelling from bottle...one day.
Sweet-plum and orange-peel aromas here. Full-bodied, very tight and reserved with ripe and chewy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Shows power and finesse at the same time. Great reserve wine. Drink in 2022.
2013 Vigna Rionda Riserva What a difference a couple of years makes. The 2013 Vigna Rionda saw 5 years in Botti compared to the normal 3 ½ followed by time in bottle. Loads of intrigue. Expressive perfume. A little lift. It has such a powerful persistent core of fruit. The 2013 reveals slightly more rustic, edgy tannins. They're playful, and, I like them! The layering the wine lifts another notch compared to the 'standard' Cru's. We also tasted the 2006 and 2001 Dieci Anni releases. 2006 showing a bold, dark and brooding, moving into that third phase of development with loads of truffly secondaries. The 2001 perhaps at it's peak, quite developed, elegant, delicate, and fun. Loads of complexity, leather, still a lovely core of fruit and fine acid. The fruit building on the plate after swallowing!
Barolo DOCG Vigna Rionda Riserva 2012
“Readers will find a silky, nuanced Barolo in the 2012 Riserva Vigna Rionda. Rose water, orange zest, cinnamon, sage, mint and dried cherry are some of the many nuances that give the 2012 its aromatic top notes, and all of the elements fall into place effortlessly. Relatively open-knit for a young Rionda, this should drink well with minimal cellaring. The 2012 doesn't quite have the explosive energy of vintages like 2010, 2013 or 2014, but it will offer tons of pleasure sooner than any of those wines. I loved it.”
Aromas of tea, coffee and dried strawberries follow through to a full body. Has an energetic palate with polished and lively tannins that coat your mouth. Needs a few years to soften but very attractive already. Try in 2020.
Barolo DOCG Vigna Rionda Riserva 2011
If you ask a resident of Serralunga to name the town’s three finest vineyards, one of the trio is sure to be Vigna Rionda … It is an historic vineyard.
2011 Vigna Rionda shows just how much difference an extra 2 years prior to release makes. Expressive, generous, elegant refined, with such poise and balance, the intrigue and complexity of the wine entice. It’s a triumph and is a great example of just how good many of the 2011’s from Serralunga are.
Aromas of mushrooms, rose petals and blackberries follow through to a full to medium body, tight tannins and a fruity finish. Needs time to open. Better in 2020. Impressive.
Massolino's 2011 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is a more than worthy follow up to the stellar 2010. Silky, perfumed and incredibly inviting, the 2011 will also give up its considerable charms much earlier. Sweet red cherry, rose petal, spice, hard candy and mint give the 2011 its inner sweetness. Above all else, the 2011 captures a compelling middle ground that balances the warmth of the year with a classic sense of structure. The 2011 is a racy, alluring Rionda that is going to be nearly impossible to resist, even young. Tasted October 2017
You must be logged in to post a comment.