About the Producer:
A lot has
changed in the legendary wine-making region of Piemonte. Over the
past two decades a new wave of producers has emerged in the region,
revealing different personalities of the majestic nebbiolo grape.
And to their credit, the modernists have made Barolo
more approachable. However, Barolo is a wine of patience and, like
the great wine-making regions of Europe, it possesses an ancient,
glorious past that cannot be forgotten. There is a handful of gladiators
who continue to protect this past way of life and resist all temptations
to bow to commercial pressures. The use of long maceration (capello
sommerso) and aging in large old barrels (botti) of local oak and
chestnut are perfected, not disregarded. These true artisans are Piemonte’s
greatest producers: Giacomo Conterno,
Bruno Giacosa, and, most notably, Bartolo
Mascarello. This great man who passed away in March, 2005 still has
a cult following.
Bartolo Mascarello, the great elder statesman of Barolo, spoke with
the same candidness and fervor as the younger Angelo
Gaja. However, for Bartolo the passion was for the preservation
of Barolo’s historic past, which emphasizes the flavors of the local
land rather than wood grown in Limousin, France or roto-fermentors
designed Down Under. Until a few years before his death, this gentle
man refused even to have a telephone in his office.
Bartolo's daughter, Maria Teresa, makes her wine the same way her
father did 50 years ago, through techniques that go back centuries
and which were inherited when he was an apprentice under his father,
Giulio, one of the true icons of Barolo. Despite his owning vines
on the prestigious Cannubi hilltop, Mascarello's wine is not a cru
selection; it is a blend from Canubbi, San Lorenzo, Rue, and Rocche.
The approach is simple: low yields and ripe fruit from Barolo’s best
vines, blended for consistent quality and style. Like his father,
he instilled these same values and techniques in the next generation,
who now carries on the artisan’s craft and represents the future of
Barolo’s Old School.
Featured Wine(s): Mascarello
Barolo
Mascarello Barbera d'Alba
Mascarello Dolcetto d'Alba
Italian
Wine Merchants Passport • 108
East 16th Street • New York, NY 10003 • Phone:
212.473.2323 • Fax: 212.473.1952wineclub@italianwinemerchant.com Italian Wine Merchants is not responsible
for errors or omissions. Prices are subject to change
due to availability and issue date.
Producer:
Bartolo
Mascarello