Giuseppe Mascarello e Figli Monprivato Barolo 2019

Barolo ‘Monprivato’ is one of Italy’s most famous single vineyard bottlings. The Giuseppe Mascarello e Figlio estate—the motto of which—“Only the memory of the past can open the way to the future”—provides a succinct articulation of the estate’s ability to seam tradition with innovation. Monprivato is only bottled in outstanding vintages that live up to Mascarello's high standards. Those harvests that do not meet such expectations are utilized for the normal Barolo or sold as Nebbiolo Langhe.The wine is sourced from a 6-hectare plot in the famed Monprivato vineyard in Castiglione Falletto, which typically produces wines occupying a middle ground between the potency of those from Serralunga d'Alba and Monforte d'Alba, and the gentle, aromatic elegance of wines from Barolo and La Morra. The Monprivato vineyard sits on clay slopes facing southwest at 280 meters of altitude along the central valley of the Barolo zone. Owner, Mauro Mascarello believes Barolo’s finest vineyards produce wines that are essentially rich in flavor with sweeter, softer tannins than those of lesser sites. He is adamant that yields be reduced and traditional measures taken to allow minimal cellar intervention. Mascarello uses extended maceration and ages the wine for about 38 months in medium Slavonian oak casks to emphasize the leaner, more tannic side of Nebbiolo.

The members of the Giuseppe Mascarello family have been growing wines for more than a century and a half, first as farmers running the Manescotto estate in the village of La Morra for the marchesa Giulia Colbert Faletti di Barolo, and then on their own property since the late 1800s. The Mascarello family property extends over 15 hectares of vineyards, all located within the valley of Barolo and of Serralunga.  They work everything by hand, with extremely low yields to protect the quality of the fruit and without the use of pesticides or herbicides.

Barolo Monprivato is a medium, full-bodied wine that tends to demonstrate ruby-garnet colors upon release. Mascarello Barolos begin to mature between six and ten years of bottle age, and may continue to evolve over a 25- to 40-year span.