2017 Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Monprivato

The Monprivato cru is one of Barolo’s most revered sites. For over a hundred years, the Mascarello family have been the stewards of this sublime patch of terroir, learning its ways, its quirks, how to coax the very best out of it. It could almost be the archetypal Barolo vineyard: south-west exposure, an altitude of around 280 meters, clay and marl soils laid over a limestone-rich base. Most of the vines are in their sixties, though some are quite a lot older. 2017 saw a hot, dry vintage – the driest on record. It required a dab hand with canopy management, but Mauro Mascarello has been around the block a few times, and knew exactly what to do. The old vines responded naturally, and the wine is remarkable for its energy and freshness, not to mention its delicacy and exquisite perfume. (NT 05/10/21)