Bartolo Mascarello - Barolo 2020 (750ml)
Kerin O'Keefe: 97 Points
To be released this fall the gorgeous 2020 Barolo from Maria Teresa Mascarello is a fantastic expression of the vintage starting with its enticing aromas of perfumed berry rose and culinary spice. Full-bodied and generous the enveloping palate doles out ripe raspberry star anise crushed mint and blood orange seamlessly supported by well-integrated polished tannins. Made with Nebbiolo from five vineyards including the estate?s San Lorenzo cru for the first time since 2014 after it was grubbed up in 2015 and replanted in 2017 it has great succulent fruit balance structure and depth. Drink 2026?2035. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O?Keefe July 2024 ©kerinokeefe.com
Decanter: 97 Points
In the blend of Maria Teresa Mascarello's Barolo 2020 the replanted San Lorenzo vineyard makes a comeback with a small portion of young-vine fruit. It was harvested on 2 October while the rest (from Rocche dell'Annunziata and Cannubi) was picked from 4-8 October after the rain. The result is a wine with a backdrop of very fresh redcurranty fruits violets deep spices including liquorice root as well as hints of linden almost camphor and wild strawberry. A defined expression demonstrating a lot of maturity and savouriness. Tasted by: Aldo Fiordelli (at Alba Piedmont 28 Mar 2024) Part of Barolo 2020: A 'ready to drink' vintage Drinking Window: 2024 - 204
vJames Suckling: 97 Points
This vintage is extremely floral offering restrained violets linden tree camphor and balsamic tones and fresh redcurrants. On the full-bodied palate there is great licorice-stick flavor with refreshing lifted acidity and firm velvety tannins that are savory and ripe. Bright expression of Barolo full of detail more elegant than powerful. Drinkable now but best after 5 years.
Wine Advocate: 96 Points
This wine is on the market now. The Bartolo Mascarello 2020 Barolo represents a blend of fruit from five sites for the first time Maria Teresa Mascarello tells me excitedly. The classic blend of the recent past saw fruit from Rue and Cannubi in Barolo and Rocche dell?Annunziata in La Morra. San Lorenzo if only with fruit from a mere 3000 square meters of seven-year-old vines returns to the blend with this vintage. The wine also has fruit from Monrobio di Bussia from 4000 square meters of leased vineyards. (Monrobio di Bussia took the place of San Lorenzo from the 2015 to the 2019 vintages). The Rue vineyard measures 4000 square meters and has 35-year-old plants. Rocche dell?Annunziata measures 1.3 hectares and its vines range from 35 to 40 years old. The oldest vines in Cannubi reach 70 years in age but replanting over the years has introduced 15- 20- and 25-year-old plants. The site measures one hectare and makes up about one-third of this wine (with fruit sourced from across a total of 3.3 hectares). Rocche dell?Annunziata also makes up one-third of the blend. Fermentation times were long in 2020 lasting 55 days with 42 days of submerged cap. This process allows the aromas and flavors to develop slowly and with added nuance. The vintage is considered hot; however 2020 saw a "different kind of heat" Maria Teresa Mascarello tells me. Much-needed water reserves remained intact from winter and spring that saw snow and rain. "There was more disease pressure in 2020 but it wasn't too bad; and the wines show full-bodied ripeness" she says. This vintage was bottled in summer 2024. The wine reveals a soft side with supple tannins dark cherry fruit dried herb tea leaf and a hint of wild mint. The bouquet is open and does not hold back especially in terms of its fruit-forward appeal. It feels linear and sharp on the palate with balanced acidity that keeps it bright. Nebbiolo harvest dates at the Bartolo Mascarello estate occurred October 4?8 2020 and October 6?10 2021 which is perfectly in line with the norm. In comparison the 2024 harvest lasted a very long 12 days from October third to the 15th. Hail on August 2 2024 hit the Rue vineyard doing some damage part of San Lorenzo and a small part of the higher half of Cannubi (the lower part was fine). The 2024 harvest required extensive fruit selection as a result. Overall the 2024 vintage was cooler than average despite the severe heat spikes seen in August. Published: Jan 30 2025
Wine Spectator: 95 Points
This graceful fragrant Barolo exhibits strawberry cherry rose hip mineral and earth flavors. There's grip from the lightly chewy tannins plus vivid acidity. Overall this red is pure expressive and fluid. Shows fine length and intensity. Best from 2027 through 2042. From Italy.?B.S.
Vinous: 94 Points
The 2020 Barolo is a very pretty delicate wine. Crushed red berry fruit mint spice tobacco and dried flowers are all nicely lifted. Medium in body with fine tannins the 2020 is impeccably balanced. Today the 2020 comes across as understated gracious and classy in a style that is more delicate than it is powerful. Tasted next to the 2019 the 2020 appears to have a bit more mid-palate resonance that is not fully expressive at this stage. This spent 55 days on the skins including a period of submerged-cap maceration. - By Antonio Galloni on November 2023 Maria Teresa Mascarello describes 2020 as a year with a warm early spring then good rains in May and June and a warm summer with no heat spikes. The Nebbiolo harvest took place from October 2 to October 8. Mascarello gave her 2020 55 days on the skins with submerged cap maceration the approach she uses for better vintages. At this stage I find the 2020 a bit closed certainly more so than how the wine showed in barrel. It will be interesting to see how that wine develops in the coming years. Although Barolo is clearly the star here Mascarello's entry-level offerings are every bit as compelling to this taster.
