and more:
• Drink While You Wait!

• Uncover The Mystique of Barolo

• A Wine Club with Mascarello

The Last of the Mohicans

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. Read on below to learn about an unprecented offering of the 1964 vintage and the highly anticipated arrival of the 1999s. Discover why this great man in his late seventies, confined to a wheelchair, has a cult following. Should you have additional questions or want to purchase these wines, please call Perry Porricelli at 212.473.2323.

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"French vanilla doesn't belong here..."

 Bartolo Mascarello, the great elder statesman of Barolo, speaks with the same candidness and fervor as the younger Angelo Gaja. However, for Bartolo the passion is 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 ago, this gentle man refused even to have a telephone in his office.

Bartolo makes his wine the same way he 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, Bartolo's wine is not a cru selection; it is a blend from Canubbi, San Lorenzo, Rue, and Rocche. His approach is simple: low yields and ripe fruit from Barolo’s best vines, blended for consistent quality and style. Like his father, he now instills these same values and techniques in the next generation, his daughter Maria Teresa, who will carry on the artisan’s craft and represent the future of Barolo’s Old School.

Click for Barolo's other great traditionalist, Giacosa!

Uncork 1964 and Cellar 1999

This is a unique and rare offering for connoisseurs and aspiring collectors. In a good year, Bartolo produces approximately 1,500 cases, of which only a small percentage is exported to the States. Many of these wines are well-cellared from Sergio’s own collection. For this limited offering, IWM is including wines of Mascarello unavailable anywhere else in the US, including the 40-year old 1964 bottling, as well as wines from the landmark 1990 and 1997 vintages and Tre Bicchieri winners from 1989, 1998, and 1999. For the younger wines, we encourage you to remain patient and open the wines 10-30 years after their vintage dates.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM YOUR INVESTMENT:
Last February, Sergio and Eric Asimov, chief wine critic for The New York Times, travelled to Italy and tasted the great wines of Bartolo Mascarello. While there, Eric had the unique opportunity to taste and write about the 1964 Mascarello Barolo: "...an unforgettable wine full of signature aromas of tar, truffles, tobacco, and yet as fresh as a wine 30 years younger."

TYPICAL MASCARELLO WINE NOTES:
A ten-year old Barolo from Bartolo will typically carry the traditional garnet red with highlights of orange bracing the rim. A delicate and enticing bouquet of old rose petals, violet, and licorice embrace the nose. On the palate, there is serious structure and exquisite balance with flavors of dried cherries, tobacco, leather, tar, and tell-tale truffle. Acidity and tannins are firmly braced by noble structure. These are the trademarks of a well-made, traditional Barolo from Bartolo Mascarello!

*Please note that the super ripe vintages of 1990 and 1997 will provide even more fruit flavor and can be more accessible. Contact our portfolio managers for more information on these vintages or to find out when to uncork these classics.

IWMs' LEGENDARY BAROLOS OF MASCARELLO:
Bottles (750ml):
1996 Mascarello Barolo $ 96.90
1997 Mascarello Barolo $ 84.95
1998 Mascarello Barolo $ 72.75
1999 Mascarello Barolo $ 77.99

Magnums (1.5L):
1964 Mascarello Barolo $926.00
1986 Mascarello Barolo $598.00
1988 Mascarello Barolo $546.77
1989 Mascarello Barolo $552.27
1990 Mascarello Barolo $618.58
1996 Mascarello Barolo $198.33
1997 Mascarello Barolo $189.95
1999 Mascarello Barolo $170.00

Click here to order Mascarello Barolo by fax!

Drink While You Wait!

While you wait for the powerful Barolos of Mascarello to mature, experience his evocative Dolcettos and Barberas. These are perfect summer reds: easy to drink, approachable when young, and great with food.

Bartolo Mascarello 2001 Barbera d'Alba $27.50 (750ml)
Even better than the 1998 we showcased two weeks ago, this wine has the same rustic deep red appearance. Classic barbera flavors, with excellent balance between fruit and acidity. Big, rich, and mouth-filling, with complex aromas of flowers, cherry, anise and eucalyptus. Good concentration of fruit.

Bartolo Mascarello 2001 Dolcetto d'Alba $22.00 (750ml)
Bright red-ruby. Ripe fruit and pepper notes fill the nose, while hints of licorice, fresh herbs, and minerals awaken the palate. Medium-bodied with well-integrated tannins and soft fruit make this a clean and elegant dolcetto.

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Uncover The Mystique of Barolo

The Mystique of Barolo
Maurizio Rosso and Chris Meir $95.00
This beautiful, newly translated volume covers Italy's most important wine. The book features 35 fascinating interviews with Barolo producers, a detailed history of the noble Nebbiolo grape, an exhaustive vintage chart (from 1868 to the present), thoughts on Barolo production, detailed maps and explanations of the new sub-zones. An essential reference for the casual Italian wine fan and professional sommelier alike.

A Wine Atlas of the Langhe:
The Great Barolo and Barbaresco Vineyards
Slow Food Editore $45.00
A ten year project for Italy's Slow Food organization, this book describes the wines, territory and men and women who labor to produce these legendary reds. Town by town, the book explores the unique features that enabled Barolo and Barbaresco to become two of the world's most exclusive and highly prized wines. Illustrations, label reproductions of leading producers and insight into the social and cultural life of the Piedmont wine industry lie among the wealth of information between the two covers.

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A Wine Club That Includes Mascarello!

We can proudly say there is no other. Through IWM's Patron Wine Club, we open our cellar doors and include members in something rare and unique. Selections are not based on inventory, but rather are driven by the desire to enlighten collectors and enthusiasts to the world of high quality Italian wine. Open up your palate and learn what makes these wines great.

There is no other merchant that would include Mascarello Barolo, the limited-production cult favorite of the South - Montevetrano; or the most collectible Barbaresco in the world - Giacosa Santo Stefano; or perhaps the great example of modern-style Barolo from the 1997 vintage - Scavino Bric del Fiasc. All have received the IWM Stamp of Excellence and are Tre Bicchieri winners or have received 95+ ratings from Parker.
In addition to receiving these wines well below market value, members have other benefits. For more information about Sergio's Cellar Club or our other wine club levels, please contact Chris Deas at 212.334.6734.

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