Massolino Barolo - On The Nice List • Reverse Wine Snob®

Looking for a Christmas splurge? The Massolino “Serralunga d’Alba” Barolo DOCG fits the bill!

Nebbiolo from Serralunga d’Alba, Piedmont, Italy. The wine is aged in large oak barrels for at least 30 months plus another 12 months in the bottle before release.

While almost everything we review here at Reverse Wine Snob falls under our $20 limit, we do also believe there is a time and place to splurge. We tend to focus these in on varieties or regions that are difficult to impossible to find under $20. Barolo from Piedmont is definitely one of those.

Sample submitted for review. The Massolino Barolo has an SRP of $53 (Saturday Splurge) and is available for as low as $30. 40,000 bottles produced. Imported by Vineyard Brands.

From the winery:

Bouquet: The grapes come from different sub-zones in Serralunga and this gives them a broad and variable spectrum of perfumes, ranging from tempting spicy notes to those of a sweeter, floral, and fruity nature.

Flavor: A variety of sensations, with a full-bodied, classic and well structured wine which ages well and perfectly represents the important character of our land.

Food Pairings: It achieves its best expression when served with red meats, particularly game, and with dishes dressed with truffle. It is also excellent with fresh egg pasta and meat sauce, and with risotto, as well as medium-mature cow’s milk and goat’s milk cheeses.

13.5% Alcohol

The pleasing aroma on the 2014 Massolino Barolo begins with plum, licorice, dried herbs and a bit of earthiness but it develops even more as it has time in the glass so this is definitely one you want to sip and swirl a lot over the course of an evening.

Tasting the medium-bodied wine shows bright, juicy strawberry and red cherry flavors. It’s just a baby at this point but it still tastes darn good. Silky, firm tannins lead into the dry, long finish.

It’s got a depth and complexity that you can’t help but appreciate, it’s really just a matter of if you want to pay for it. It also has lots of potential to age and would be an interesting one to stock up on and open a bottle every couple of years for the next decade or so to see how it changes.

Ready to buy? Check your local retailers.