Massolino Barolo 2018

The 2018 Barolo vintage was not one for the weak of heart. Chief among the perils was the region’s wettest spring on record, making work in the vineyard a hazardous affair. Then, there was a moderate start to summer, hail in August and inclement weather towards the end of September. The result was arguably Barolo’s most variable and inconsistent vintage in recent memory: the kind of challenging year we used to refer to as ‘a grower’s vintage’.

Having said all this, Massolino has pulled something remarkable out of the hat. Instead of bottling the normal range of five outstanding Barolo wines, the estate has released only one, declassifying all of the cru wines into the Barolo Classico. Franco Massolino explained that the decision to declassify was not made at harvest. Indeed, having worked incredibly hard in the vineyards, the team was looking forward to a successful year. Yet, as the wines went through their ferments and initial development, it became clear that while the quality was high, the site-specific personality of each vineyard was not shining as brightly as they would have liked. It’s a brave decision that deserves applause.

So, alongside the traditional blend of Serralunga parcels, the list of vineyards in this release includes Parussi, Margheria, Parafada and, yes, for the first time, Vigna Rionda. Partly fermented in large oak vessels and matured for 24 months in large Slovenian oak casks, the result is a terrific, cru-injected Barolo Classico. Distinguished by its lifted perfume, precision, elegance and silky length, it’s a Barolo of Pinot-like prettiness that is already drinking well.