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Massolino

“Stellar New Releases” [Galloni]: The 2020 Barolo and 2021 Barbaresco Wines
Massolino
Today, we offer another gorgeous suite of Piemonte finery from one of the region’s top addresses. Massolino cellarmaster Giovanni Angeli summed it up best when he told us that if you didn’t make delicious wines in 2020, something went very wrong! “It was a great harvest,” he told us. “Definitely one of the few positive things we’ll remember from this Covid-affected year. The resulting wines are beautifully expressive, aromatic and supple, with excellent freshness and classical tannins. The overall impression is of finesse, vibrant purity and fine structure that will allow the wines to seduce from a young age. So, we get the best of both worlds: a terrific year for aging and restaurant drinking alike.

As the Barbaresco wines are bottled a year earlier than the Barolo, the new vintage is 2021, and these are clearly the finest Barbarescos Massolino has produced so far! It was a classically timed harvest, beginning in October, and the wines have terrific depth of sweet, floral-scented fruit, compelling structure and excellent, perfumed length. Some in the region draw comparisons with the outstanding 2016 vintage. Regardless, Massolino has taken to Barbaresco like a duck to water, and the super classy 2021 cuvées will give lovers of fine Nebbiolo enormous pleasure.

Giovanni Angeli and Franco Massolino are justly proud of their entry-level wines. Nick Stock put it impeccably when, back in the day, he described the range as “near-perfect”. Since then, the Massolino team has only made further progress in their vineyards and cantina. They are harvesting more pristine grapes than ever before, and the move towards gentler winemaking shines through in the wines’ purity and effortless balance. Put simply, you cannot go wrong!

The Wines

Massolino Barbera d'Alba 2022

Massolino Barbera d'Alba 2022

Screwcap. Massolino’s two hectares of Barbera in a limestone-rich Serralunga vineyard are now complemented by fruit from Monforte d’Alba. The 2022 fermented for 10 to 12 days in cement tanks and was raised in the same vessels for a short period before being bottled and released. The palate is deep and pure, with some powdery tannins and vibrant acidity. The finish is tangy, perfumed and lingering. A super release and another super-value wine.

Massolino Barbera d'Alba 2022
Massolino Langhe Nebbiolo 2022

Massolino Langhe Nebbiolo 2022

Screwcap. Three sources here. First, Massolino’s younger vines in Serralunga—in other words, declassified Barolo fruit. Then, Monforte’s Cascina I Maschi (Massolino credits this cool, chalky site with giving the wine lifted perfume and freshness). And finally, a parcel in Alba on lighter, sandy-clay soils, bringing generosity of fruit. The blend is roughly one-third from each of these areas, and there’s little doubt the sum of these parts brings even more finesse and early-drinking appeal to what has always been an outstanding Langhe Nebbiolo. 

The 2022 is another gorgeous release from this label. It is a pure-fruited, pretty wine (suggesting strawberry, cherry, violet, anise) with ripe, chalky tannins and a terrific, perfumed finish spiked with graphite-like minerality. Following very gentle extraction, it aged in large Slavonian oak casks for 15 months, as opposed to 24-plus months for the Barolo wine. To call this a bargain is to grossly understate the case!

Massolino Langhe Nebbiolo 2022
Massolino Dolcetto d'Alba 2022

Massolino Dolcetto d'Alba 2022

Screwcap. Traditionally cropped from an ideally positioned 3.2 hectares within the Serralunga postcode, recent vintages also include fruit from Massolino’s Cascina I Maschi vineyard in Monforte d’Alba. The Dolcetto is raised entirely in stainless steel tanks. First produced all the way back in 1896, Massolino only uses its finest Dolcetto for this bottling; the remainder is sold in bulk. It’s another superb example of this variety: both succulent and perfumed and packed with crunchy black cherry fruit and floral notes with a lovely vibrant, mouthwatering close. Pass the salumi please.

“The 2022 Dolcetto d'Alba is a beautifully fragrant wine. Crushed flowers, mint and red/purplish fruit all grace this understated, classy Dolcetto. The 2022 is bit light in body, as almost all wines are in this year, but balance and harmony are very much present."
90 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Massolino Dolcetto d'Alba 2022
Massolino Langhe Riesling 2022

Massolino Langhe Riesling 2022

Screwcap. Massolino planted three clones of Riesling in 2014 in a cool and windswept parcel in Monforte d’Alba. This rocky and limestone-rich plot sits at the hill’s apex at 450-500 metres, just outside the Barolo appellation boundary. After a few years of experimenting with amphora, steel and various types and sizes of oak, the wine today ferments exclusively in a 5,000-litre cement tank, where it rests on lees for nine months.

The use of concrete is hardly commonplace when vinifying Riesling, yet Massolino feels the wine’s brightness and energy merits this approach. It’s hard to disagree, given the coiled energy and purity. It’s a lovely vintage for this wine, with bell-clear apple blossom and white flower flavours allied to the intensity of palate-coating fruitiness and a crunchy lemon and lemongrass close.

Massolino Langhe Riesling 2022
Massolino Barbaresco 2021

Massolino Barbaresco 2021

Nomacorc Reserva. The 2021 Barbaresco is a blend of three parcels in Neive: Albesani, Serraboella and Starderi. Of these vineyards, Albesani is the best known and is covered in more detail below. Serraboella, which accounts for the lion’s share of the blend, is one of the most highly regarded sites in the eastern sector of Neive. Massolino’s vines lie on the preferred southwest-facing hill, on light soils overlooking the village. Finally, Starderi lies on the western side of Neive. It’s a sunnier terroir that brings power and flesh to the blend. The winemaking hardly differs from the Barolo wines. Natural fermentation takes place in large oak fermenters. The 2021 saw about 12-15 days on skins before aging in large, 5,000-litre Slavonian oak barrels for 18 months. The 2021 is a superb release-—so pretty, perfumed and fine. The palate is loaded with juicy fruit and fine, powdery tannins. Good length, great finesse!

“Bright cinnamon and earthy strawberry aromas with violets and dried cherries. Firm, with lifted acidity, dusty yet ripe tannins, a chewy mid-palate and ripe fruit on the finish. Approachable Barbaresco but will age nicely, too. Drink or hold.”
92 points, James Suckling, jamesuckling.com
“The 2021 Barbaresco is a blend from parcels in Albesani, Serraboella and Starderi. Gracious and nuanced, the 2021 offers up hints of crushed flowers, orange peel, mint, sweet red berry fruit and spice. Readers will find a super-classic Barbaresco. Lifted aromatics, mid-weight structure and persistent yet fine tannins give the wine its shape. This is beautifully done.”
93 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Massolino Barbaresco 2021
Massolino Barbaresco Albesani 2021

Massolino Barbaresco Albesani 2021

Natural cork. On the western hills above Neive, Albesani is one of Barbaresco’s great vineyards. In his Barbaresco MGA, Alessandro Masnaghetti explains that “the combination of soil, stature and exposure creates one of the greatest vineyards of the Langhe”. So perhaps it won’t be a surprise that, of the three Barbaresco parcels, Massolino has chosen to bottle its first single-vineyard wine from this site. As Franco Massolino explains: “From the very first moment this wine began to ferment, we knew we were dealing with a superb expression of Nebbiolo.” Of its two hectares in Albesani, Massolino used only 0.6 hectares for this bottling—the parcel at the top of the vineyard (at 260 metres) with the poorest soils and the oldest vines (50 years of age). The soils are classic limestone and chalky clay, and it is exposed to the southwest. The winemaking mirrors that of the Barbaresco above, except Albesani ages in large-format Austrian oak as opposed to Slavonian. 

It’s a super wine, incredibly aromatic and floral on both the nose and palate (it feels built on this perfumed lift). There’s rose, jasmine, mixed red fruits and all kinds of spice. Good length too. All class!

“Neive. Just mid ruby. At first very closed but with aeration, aromatic cherry fruit creeps up. Succulent, elegant cherry and raspberry fruit on the palate with finely ground, coating tannins. Lots of juicy raspberry fruit on the finish. Quite gorgeous right now.”
17.5/20, Walter Speller, Jancisrobinson.com
“The 2021 Barbaresco Albesani is a super-classic wine that is going to need time to come around. It possesses notable structure and the understated depth that is common of Barbaresco. Time in the glass brings out scents of herbs, white pepper, autumn leaves and spice. All this needs is time in bottle.”
94 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“Bright and fresh with notes of red berries, dried rose hips and asphalt. Medium-bodied. It has a meaty structure with very fine tannins and bright acidity. Shows tension and focus. Spicy at the end. Try after 2026.”
95 points, James Suckling, jamesuckling.com
Massolino Barbaresco Albesani 2021
Massolino Barolo 2020

Massolino Barolo 2020

Nomacorc Reserva. First produced in 1911, the fruit for Massolino’s classic cuvée is selected from seven sites across roughly seven hectares of prime-sited Serralunga vineyards. The most important of these sites—Briccolina, Collareto, Broglio and Le Turne—are dotted around the town itself (Le Turne borders Margheria, while Collareto lies next to Vigna Rionda)—so we are talking quality real estate. The 2019 also includes a little declassified fruit from Massolino’s Parussi Cru. Vine age varies from 10 to 55 years. 

This is the third year that Massolino’s Barolo wines fermented in large wooden casks (the wines used to ferment in concrete). While the Cru wines below now ferment exclusively in oak—which Giovanni Angeli credits with imparting even more finesse—half of this Barolo still fermented in concrete. This cuvée spent around 20 days on skins, and the final blend matured for 30 months in large Slavonian oak casks. It is an exceptional release for a wine that is, as always, wonderful value and an archetypical Serralunga Barolo.

“Bright and lively red fruit character with dried flowers, stones and hints of tree resin. Medium-bodied, clean and focused on the palate, with fine tannins and a linear finish. Shows freshness and poise. Polished. Try from 2027, but already a joy to taste.”
94 points, James Suckling, jamesuckling.com
“Lustrous mid ruby. Richness of fruit on the nose with a hint of gingerbread. With aeration opens up to savoury cherry, if still a little subdued. Supple, suave cherry fruit with superfine, long, chewy tannins. A pretty wine.”
17+ points, Walter Speller, JancisRobinson.com
Massolino Barolo 2020
Massolino Barolo Margheria 2020

Massolino Barolo Margheria 2020

Natural cork. Margheria is one of Serralunga’s most important and illustrious sites. The Massolino family bought their first parcel here in 1964, and the remainder came online during the ’70s. The current holding is 1.5 hectares. Sitting 280 metres above sea level, Margheria is very chalky with a high percentage of sand (which brings elegance), while the high calcium carbonate content brings vibrant mineral energy to Serralunga’s natural depth. 

As with all three 2020 Crus, Margheria fermented in large oak fermenters and spent around three weeks on skins. It then aged in botti for 30 months before bottling and remained in bottle for a further year before release. This is a benchmark release for this wine—a superb, open, fine-boned Margheria. As always, it’s pretty and perfumed yet has plenty of ripe fruit and fine structure.

“I like the freshness and vivid red-fruited character. Medium-bodied with firm, slightly chewy tannins. It’s compact and structured with a tense and lively aftertaste. Vivid and bright with hibiscus undertones to the orange and berry character. Try from 2027, but already very pretty.”
95 points, James Suckling, jamesuckling.com
“The 2020 Barolo Margheria is a very pretty wine that shows the gentler side of the year. Dried herbs, menthol, incense, new leather and licorice all take shape in the glass. The 2020 is a soft, uncharacteristically open-knit Margheria that will drink well with only minimal cellaring.”
93 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Massolino Barolo Margheria 2020
Massolino Barolo Parafada 2020

Massolino Barolo Parafada 2020

Natural cork. Planted in 1957, Parafada was the Massolino family’s first prime parcel in Serralunga. It is still home to their oldest vines. Legend has it that Giovanni Massolino planted these vines when he was just 17 years old! Today, these 66-year-old vines produce smaller berries with more concentrated fruit. Located between Gabutti and Lazzarito, Massolino’s 1.2-hectare parcel rises steeply from 300 to 340 metres above sea level and faces due south, catching the full face of the sun. The aspect, old vines and dense clay/marl/lime-infused soils (Formazione di Lequio, to be precise) typically result in the densest, most powerful wine of Massolino’s three Serralunga Crus. As with all 2020 Crus, this fermented and aged in large oak fermenters and spent around three weeks on skins. This is a very fine, seductive release with waves of ripe, fleshy blackcurrant, liquorice, and even leather-scented fruit. It has excellent freshness, tightly knitted tannins and driven length.

“Notes of dried raspberries, cherries, dried orange peel and ground spices. Some tar. Medium-bodied, structured and firm, with polished tannins. I like the energy and length here. Round and refined with a bright finish. So well done. Drink after 2027.”
96 points, James Suckling, jamesuckling.com
“The 2020 Barolo Parafada is a delicate, focused wine. Bright red fruit, mint white pepper and crushed herbs are all nicely delineated. This mid-weight, nervy Barolo is all class and very approachable now, but it needs time to be at its finest.”
93 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“Parafada is a small MGA in a basin with full south, east and west exposures. Massolino's interpretation is surgical: super-zesty with earthy strawberry, liquorice, fresh violet and a Pinot-like elegance. The palate shows a richness with juicy, brilliant acidity, silky tannins and an amazing finish with blood orange vibrancy. Graceful, with good strength for ageing.”
96 points, Aldo Fiordelli, Decanter
Massolino Barolo Parafada 2020
Massolino Barolo Parussi 2020

Massolino Barolo Parussi 2020

Natural cork. This is the only Barolo vineyard Massolino owns beyond Serralunga—‘the egg outside the nest’ as an old Piemonte saying goes. On the crest of the ridge, Parussi sits right next to the Serralunga border on the Castiglione Falletto side. The blue, iron-rich Sant'Agata marls here are a little lighter and more oxygenated, with more silt and less clay than in Serralunga. This makes for more vigour in the vines and a completely different style of wine. The Massolino family were attracted to the excellent southeast-to-southwest exposure, combined with the age of the vines (45 years) and the vineyard’s situation at 290 metres above sea level. To this day, Massolino is the only Barolo producer to bottle a single-vineyard wine from this Cru.

As always, this is quite different from the Serralunga wines, with more pungent depth and firmer tannins. It is an outstanding example of Castiglione Falletto, showing the depth of the place and the class of Massolino. Again, it fermented and aged in large oak, with around three weeks on skins, and is one of the best examples of this wine to date.

As always, this is an outstanding example of Castiglione Falletto—with the depth of the place and the class of Massolino. Again, fermented and aged in large oak, with around three weeks on skins, this is one of the best examples and certainly the most approachable Parussi to date.

“Vivid red fruit with subtle floral and citrusy notes and hints of crushed stones. Medium-bodied with firm tannins. Structured and focused with a lingering, expanding aftertaste. Impressive density. Try after two to three years.” 95 points, James Suckling, jamesuckling.com
“The 2020 Barolo Parussi is a classy, nuanced wine. It shows lovely textural depth and resonance, but in the mid-weight style of the year. Dark red cherry, lavender, rose petal, mint and spice all build nicely, filling out the layers effortlessly. The 2020 is weightless and elegant, with the understated textural depth that is such a signature of this vintage.” 94 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Massolino Barolo Parussi 2020
Massolino Barolo Vigna Rionda Riserva 2017

Massolino Barolo Vigna Rionda Riserva 2017

Vigna Rionda is historically the most revered vineyard of Serralunga and the source of some of the greatest, finest and most long-lived Barolo. The Massolino family are the largest holders in this Cru with 3.5 hectares of Vigna Rionda vines, aged between 40 and 50 years old. On some of the oldest soils of Barolo, there is very little topsoil here, with a high concentration of limestone, oxidised iron and other mineral elements. The altitude is also 300 metres above sea level—so, high—with protection from northerly winds and frost provided by the south/southwest aspect.

It’s a vineyard that generates wines with an optimum balance of perfume, finesse, concentration and structure, rarely found elsewhere in Barolo. Excellent acidity and tannins are a feature of the wines of Vigna Rionda, and so they require longer aging in both botti and bottle. That’s why Massolino’s Vigna Rionda is always released with a minimum six years of age.

Always aged in large cask, 2017 was the second vintage that Massolino’s Vigna Rionda was also fermented in large wood. It spent 20 days on skins and then 30 months aging in a 7,000-litre Stockinger botti. It’s simply a gorgeous, layered and complex Barolo of the highest order. The note below says it all. Despite the warm vintage, there is great acidity and ample, fine tannins. Already a brilliant drink, it will be even better in three to five years.

“The 2017 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is flat out stunning. All the purest essence of Rionda comes through in a captivating Barolo that dazzles. Sweet red cherry fruit, kirsch, rose petal, licorice and blood orange are some of the many aromas and flavors that lift from the glass. Exotic and racy, the 2017 is a flat-out stunner. Now, for the million dollar question. Is it better than the 2016? Right now, I give an edge to the 2017 for its greater finesse and total sense of exotic beauty. But time will be the judge. I do look forward to tasting the 2016 and 2017 side by side!”
98 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“Bright red cherry, mint, potpourri, new leather, liquorice root. So fragrant. Fresh, very fine, tannin has a succulence, and they sit so well within the wine, melting through its core. Red fruits (strawberry in particular), tea and blood orange, and a superb long finish of precision and freshness. A beautiful expression of Vigna Rionda, and one that belies the heat of the vintage.”
97 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
Massolino Barolo Vigna Rionda Riserva 2017
Massolino Barolo Vigna Rionda Riserva Etichetta Nera 2016

Massolino Barolo Vigna Rionda Riserva Etichetta Nera 2016

Barolo lovers will need no reminding: 2016 was an epic vintage, producing a stream of breathtaking wines. First bottled as a single cru in 1982, 2016 marks the 35th vintage of Massolino’s benchmark Barolo, Vigna Rionda, and even those who know this wine intimately will surely not have tasted a greater expression.

The sheer quality achieved this this year has led Massolino to introduce a new, all-black label, which henceforth will only be used for very greatest years of Vigna Rionda. There has also been a price rise on this special release of Massolino’s premier wine. All we can tell you is that the wine is wonderful and worth every penny.

Most will know that Vigna Rionda is arguably the most revered vineyard of Serralunga, and the source of some of the greatest, finest and most long-lived Barolo of the region. The Massolino family took ownership of their first parcel in 1956 and new parcels were purchased in 1967, 1985, and 1987, taking Massolino’s holding to the 3.5 hectares of vines (two are planted to Nebbiolo) they own today.

Some of the oldest terrain in Barolo, the soil here is similar to the Parafada vineyard, yet it is deeper and more complex again, with more limestone (up to 13%) and a higher concentration of minerals and oxidised iron elements. The altitude is 330 metres above sea level, and south/southwest aspect offers protection from northern winds and frost.

All these factors combine to produce a terroir that generates wines with an optimum balance of perfume, finesse and structure rarely found elsewhere in Barolo. These factors also produce wines with excellent acidity and tannins that require longer aging in both botti and bottle. This is why Massolino’s Vigna Rionda is always released with a minimum six years of age.

This is clearly a very special Vigna Rionda. It’s a rich, layered wine of enormous depth and power, yet also great finesse. It’s unique, perhaps a little like 2010 or 2004, but with more structural power. The note below tells you all you need to know about the quality on offer.


This is clearly a very special Vigna Rionda. It’s a rich, layered wine of enormous depth and power, yet also great finesse. It’s unique, perhaps a little like 2010 or 2004, but with more structural power. The note below tells you all you need to know about the quality on offer.

"Tasting this Vigna Rionda is such a sensual experience, with the complexity you’d expect from the top-level Barolo, showing hints of iodine, dark mussels, walnuts, dark stones to the fleshy dark cherries and plums. Then it turns a little “bloody,” minty and tarry on the nose. “Dark” and full-bodied with a massive amount of small-grained tannins seamlessly knitting the fruit on the palate, driving it to a very long, mineral finish. Very tight and powerful now, yet seductively rich and full of flesh, too. Shows lots of potential ahead. Much better from 2025. It should hold well for the next 20+ years."
97 points, jamessuckling.com
“Packaged with a special black label, the Massolino 2016 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is only released in the best vintages. Showing the power and the determination of Serralunga d'Alba, the wine is redolent of dried berry, lots of rusty earth and fragrant red rose. These are the typical aromas of this vineyard, and this wine presents them with impeccable integration. To the palate, this Riserva remains open-knit, tightly structured and broad in scope."
97 points, Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate
“The 2016 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is absolutely stunning. Deep and statuesque in bearing, the 2016 captivates all the senses from start to finish. A whole range of Rionda aromatics soars out of the glass. Silky and yet powerful, gracious and yet full of gravitas, the 2016 captures all the contrasts that make Barolo such an alluring wine. Rose petal, lavender, red/purplish fruit, spice and new leather lend striking nuance to this hypnotic Barolo from Massolino.”
97 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“Cherry, strawberry, rose, iron and menthol flavors highlight this supple red. There's plenty of backbone, and woodsy notes chime in, but this is more about the expressive berry fruit and elegant side of Barolo, ending with a terrific finish. Nonetheless, this will require several years for the tannins to be absorbed. Best from 2025 through 2045.”
98 points, Brandon Sanderson, Wine Spectator
Massolino Barolo Vigna Rionda Riserva Etichetta Nera 2016

“These new releases are stellar. The single-vineyard wines, both Barolo and Barbaresco, are now fermented in wood uprights. As impressive as the top wines are here, Massolino also excels with a range of entry-level offerings that offer fabulous quality and value. Bravo.” Antonio Galloni, Vinous

“Grace, elegance and understatement are some of the qualities readers will find in the 2020 Barolos. The best wines are undeniably striking …. These are wines to admire for their balance and seductive appeal more than their power or structure.” Antonio Galloni, Vinous

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