"The greatest young Barolo
vintage I have tasted." -Antonio Galloni
2010 G. Mascarello:
Barolo Santo Stefano di Perno
& Barolo Villero
Today we explore the other, lesser known side of Giuseppe Mascarello's Barolos.
2010 is the perfect time to check out these seldom seen Barolos from one of Piedmont's great traditionalists. These are the only bottles of both 2010 Santo Stefano and Villero in the U.S.
The vintage has such clarity and is so terroir-inflected that each site really shines through in all its individuality. Of course, there's also the fact that 2010 is an extraordinary vintage. Antonio Galloni just comes out and calls the vintage "the greatest young Barolo vintage I have tasted."
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| photo courtesy of Ben Rottman |
When you start tasting the 2010, it's impossible not to feel that it's an important vintage.
To start with Santo Stefano di Perno, this is Mascarello's one site that's outside of Castiglione Falletto. Santo Stefano boasts the power and rich intensity of Monforte d’Alba. Santo Stefano has only a tiny amount of Nebbiolo planted in it. Mascarello has 1.7ha in Santo Stefano, but only twenty-five percent is planted with Nebbiolo.
The 2010 Santo Stefano shows full throttle, fairly rich intensity that you'd expect from the site and adds an incredibly expressive brightness and lift. The tannins in 2010 are particularly fine and that contributes to an impression of seamlessness.
The Villero vineyard is a stone's throw from the hallowed ground of Monprivato. Compared to the Monprivato, the Villero's expression is more plush and generous, more feminine next to Monprivato's taut masculinity. The site itself, of which G. Mascarello owns 0.62 hectares, is southwest of Monprivato and has the same exposition, though there’s more brown clay and gray sand here. The wines are comparatively bolder with seductive fruit, while the spice and flowers come in more subtly. The 2010 Villero delivers some of the most beguiling aromatics that we've seen from this site. It's truly stunning.
While Monprivato overshadows these two sites, we've had really impressive examples from both sites, especially old Villeros.
I'm very happy to kick off the New Year with a 2010 Barolo offering. For me, the 2010 Barolo vintage was the biggest news of 2014. The hardest part of the vintage is that the quantities are very small and people are wisely buying deep. It's a tough situation. Please give us your ideal order and we'll try our best.
To order, reply to offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits
2010 G. Mascarello Barolos:
Santo Stefano di Perno & Villero
2010 Barolo Santo Stefano di Perno
Special Email Bottle Price: $99.95
2010 Barolo Villero
Special Email Bottle Price: $112.95
Special Email 6-Pack Price: $611.70