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Bartolo Mascarello was an intractable defender of traditional Barolo, the "last of the Mohicans," in his words. Along with Giuseppe Rinaldi, Bartolo's adherence to age-old Barolo customs — which included sustainably growing his grapes, devotion to crafting cuvée Barolo from his 12 acres of holdings, extended macerations of up to 50 days, fermenting in cement without temperature control, and aging in ancient neutral botti — distinguished him from his Barolo brethren, who flocked to cru expressions, shortened fermentation, and maturing in barriques. The resulting Barolo wines were resplendent representations of their vintage and their terroir, and these supple, powerful, and nuanced wines have captivated their fans for generations. Since Bartolo's passing in 2005, his daughter Maria Teresa Mascarello has helmed the cantina at 15 Via Roma, the legendary site of the Bartolo Mascarello estate since its founding in 1918, and under her leadership, Mascarello's Barolo, Dolcetto, and Barbera have grown even finer, subtler, more detailed, and spellbinding. While the Mascarello estate sports enviable holdings in Cannubi, San Lorenzo and Rué, located in the commune of Barolo, as well as in La Morra's Rocche in the commune of La Morra, it still has never released a cru wine. Blending, Bartolo believed, provided balance, especially in challenging vintages. Maria Teresa sees no reason to change her father's ways (or those of his father, and his before him). After all, there's no improving upon perfection. |
