2018 Barolo Monprivato

Translucent ruby, the 2018 Barolo Monprivato is open and giving in its perfume of dried apricot, orange peel, saline earth, and raspberry. It is medium-bodied, with ultra-fine tannins, it is an elegant red revealing notes of wild strawberries, cardamom, and salty soil. A very pretty style, it is drinking beautifully now. Drink 2023-2040. The Giuseppe Mascarello estate encompasses 12 hectares of vineyards in the two villages of Castiglione Falletto and Monforte d’Alba, with the most important and historical portion being Monprivato, which was purchased by Elena and Giuseppe’s grandfather in 1904. They are exclusively dedicated to pure varietal expressions of indigenous red wines. In addition to Monprivato and Monprivatio Ca d’Morrissio, there are two very small production bottlings of Barolo from Villero and Perno. Their Dolcetto from Monforte d’Alba, which is the somewhat fruitier of their two Dolcetto bottlings, is the only bottling exported to the US, with an annual production of 4,000 bottles. Bricco Mirasole, which is sourced from Castiglione Falletto and not exported, is usually more austere and closed in its youth. Their Langhe Nebbiolo is sourced from parcels within the Barolo region near Monprivato in Castiglione Falletto. Monprivato is on soils that are rich in limestone with ideal exposition to the sun, with south and southwest exposition at 280 meters above sea level. Planted centuries ago, it is very complete in terms of the varied ages of the vines and their varieties, including clones of Michet, Lampia, and some Rose. Though the winery is outside the delimited area of production, they have had the winery since 1914, and began producing Barolo and Barbaresco with purchased grapes in 1917. Thanks to that history, they were grandfathered in and allowed to remain in production at their historical winery. In the cellar, they work to improve technique while remaining committed and respectful to their style and history. The two youngest casks are more than 15-year-old Stockinger Botti, with the oldest more than 70 years old. The tanks for the fermentation of the Monprivato date from the 1990s, and their concrete tanks are from the 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s.

The 2018 Barolo Monprivato is gorgeous. Aromatic and gracious, the 2018 is silky, expressive and very nicely balanced. The 2018 is a bit light and ethereal, as Monprivato is these days, but the tannins are impeccably balanced and all the elements are beautifully put together. Crushed red berry fruit, cinnamon, spice, dried flowers and orange peel lend nuance throughout. This is a fine effort in a highly irregular year.