2012 Massolino Barolo Serralunga d'Alba DOCG 750 ml

2012 Barolo: “Grace Under Pressure”

There’s a saying on Wall Street: Be first, be smarter, or cheat. We’re not smart enough to cheat, so we get there first. Rarely has that been so important as after the 2012 Barolo vintage reports landed. Tales of a challenging growing season guaranteed that the cream would rise to the top. If we wanted any superior 2012s, there were only a few places we could look. Massolino, the legendary centuries-old winery, was #1 on our list. Unfortunately somms at Marea, Del Posto, and Daniel were all chasing after the same limited allocation.

Though we were first across the line, we still didn’t get all the wine we were after — there was only so much to go around. But what we came away with reassured us that our hustle had been worth it. Antonio Galloni’s right: “There IS so much to like here.” Decanter and Wine Enthusiast agreed, pouring on 93-point scores and praising the wine’s robust, beautifully attenuated fruit notes.

The Massolino brothers who run the winery today, Franco and Roberto, are the fourth generation of the family to tend these vines, and their deep connection to the land informs everything they do — from walking the vineyards to touching every plant. Visit in the fall when the leaves erupt into color and you’ll find a classic family-run operation — the aunts put the labels on the magnum bottles that are too big to run through the machines. It’s hard to imagine telling the history of Barolo without mentioning the Massolino name, as Massolinos first brought electricity to the village and helped found the consortium that delineated zones in the 1930s. No one is better equipped to not only make the best of challenging conditions but also to transcend them, crafting Barolos of profound individuality and immediate approachability

The growing season in Serralunga d’Alba started out cold and wet, with the threat of rot and mildew looming in the vineyards. “We touched -20°C and some vines even froze,” Franco told us. A dry summer relieved most disease pressure, but exposed bunches were torched by the sun and two hailstorms trimmed yields by 20 to 30 percent. Thanks to their untiring diligence, the brothers were able to guide the fields through an autumn recovery, ultimately resulting in what Franco called “a comeback vintage” characterized by “great varietal purity, moderate acidity and exceptional balance.”

Once again, it is the riveting purity of Massolino’s 2012 Barolo that blows us away. These are Barolos of finesse and balance, elegantly fruited without being overpowering, rich without being heavy-handed. The brothers steadfastly refuse to employ small new barriques that might detract from that purity, opting instead for traditional large Slovenian oak barrels.

Ruby-red in color, floral aromas perfume a fruit bouquet of cherries and crushed raspberries, accented with dark spice and leather notes. Chewy, round, and full-bodied on the palate, offering plum, black cherry, and light mocha, the silky tannins and bright acidity help define the gorgeous structure and precise balance of this masterful Barolo.

Thanks to the restaurant stampede, we could only get our hands on 50 cases; that’s the price you pay when you’re competing with the likes of Del Posto and Felidia. $39.99/bottle from WineAccess, the best delivered price in the U.S. Don’t get left out.