2019 Massolino Barolo Margheria, Piedmont

Elegant and extremely lucid in its sensorial profile, it alternates notes of raspberries, cherries, hibiscus flowers, guarana, pomegranate, lime flowers, jasmine and hawthorn. Medium-full body, velvety tannins of splendid maturity and a creamy and subtle finish that relaxes giving grace and balance in the sip. Better from 2024.
Tasted on: 01-12-2022

95 points Raffaele Vecchione WinesCritic.com

Appearance: deep garnet red. Bouquet: ethereal, featuring spicy, tobacco and brushwood notes; there are also important mineral notes. Flavour: classic and nicely harmonious wine, tannic when young and with considerable ageing potential, making it an unmistakable “Nebbiolo of Serralunga”. It is best to decant and serve it at temperatures between 18-20°C. An important wine, it encapsulates all the history of our land and fully expresses its talents when served with rich dishes, such as roast red meats or game stew. It is also excellent with medium-mature and mature cheeses.

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. Sitting at 340 metres above sea level, Margheria is a very chalky vineyard with a good percentage of sand, which brings elegance and spicy, mineral characters to the natural depth of Serralunga. This was aged in botti for around 24 months before bottling and then remained in bottle for a further year before release. This is no exception. Just stunning. On the one hand it’s a classic Margheria—those wild florals on the nose and the strawberry/red-fruited brightness and finesse on the palate. Yet it is also clearly a deeper, more powerful rendition with a long, bloody, violet-noted close. Extraordinarily delicious now, it will also cellar very well.