2022 Massolino Langhe Nebbiolo Half Bottle 375ml, Piedmont

Half Bottle 375ml

This is fruit-driven and doesn’t get weighed down by winemaking. It’s bright and flavoursome, strawberry, red cherry, peanuts, mint and dried flowers. Medium-bodied, juicy and lively, with a lick of emery board tannin, a delicious succulence to it, and such high drinking appeal, and the finish is fresh with something of a blood orange tang and good length. It’s a lovely glass of Nebbiolo and speaks of place. Massolino have pulled a rabbit out of the hat this vintage!

92 points Gary Walsh thewinefront.com.au

Screwcap. This wine gets better and better. Early vintages of the Nebbiolo were sourced exclusively from Massolino’s younger vines in Serralunga—a declassified Barolo, if you like. Today, two more parcels are in play: Monforte’s Cascina I Maschi, which brings lifted perfume and freshness to the blend, and a plot in Alba, which brings depth of fruit. There’s little doubt the sum of these three sites has brought even more finesse and early-drinking appeal to what was already an outstanding Langhe Nebbiolo.

Massolino Langhe Nebbiolo is produced in Piedmont, Italy, by the historic Massolino family estate. Founded in 1896 in Serralunga d'Alba, Massolino is renowned for its deep-rooted connection to the region and dedication to traditional winemaking. Langhe Nebbiolo is crafted from younger vines in the Langhe area, showcasing a more accessible, early-drinking expression of Nebbiolo while preserving the classic elegance, floral notes, and structure for which Piedmontese wines are known.

The winemaker for Massolino Langhe Nebbiolo is Franco Massolino, who upholds the family’s tradition of producing expressive wines that honor the terroir of Piedmont.

Massolino Langhe Nebbiolo opens with aromas of violet, rose petal, and red cherry, complemented by hints of spice and earthy undertones. The palate reveals refined tannins, vibrant acidity, and flavors of ripe raspberry, plum, and a touch of leather. This Nebbiolo is medium-bodied with a smooth, lingering finish, capturing the elegance and complexity of Piedmont’s Langhe region.

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!