~ The Cellars of G. Mascarello ~
The estate of Giuseppe Mascarello has a long, illustrious history in Piemonte. One of the greatest Barolo producers, this traditional winery is run by Mauro Mascarello, who is the fourth generation of the family to head the domaine. The estate’s origins date to the mid-1800s, when Giuseppe Mascarello made a name for himself managing vineyards for other landowners. As a result of this experience, he honed his craft and ultimately purchased his own vineyards and cellars in 1881.
Today, the family’s total vineyard holdings comprise just over 15 hectares and include some of the most prestigious vineyards in Piedmont. Monprivato, Tortoniano, Villero and Santo Stefano di Perno rank among them. Mauro Mascarello describes his winemaking style as that of an “enlightened traditionalist”. While you won’t find a barrique in his cellar, you similarly won’t find excessive macerations that many dogmatic producers employ.
~ Mauro Mascarello with his son and daughter which represent the next generation in the family winemaking business ~
The subject of this article is the family’s single vineyard Dolcetto which is produced from the Santo Stefano di Perno vineyard. Located in Monforte d’Alba, the vineyard is tiny with only 1.7 hectares planted to vines. It enjoys southwest exposure and sits at an elevation of 300 meters above sea level. 25% of the vineyard is planted to Dolcetto.
~ Vineyards in Monforte d’Alba produce Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto for the Mascarellos. Santo Stefano di Perno was replanted in 1994. ~
It’s been a while since I checked in with Mascarello’s Dolcetto. But I’m happy to see that the consistency and quality has remained unchanged.
The 2019 Mascarello Dolcetto d’Alba is a deep violet color with pretty reflections in the glass. Immediately upon opening, you are greeted by a rush of crushed raspberry, vanilla creme and soft spice notes on the nose. The spice component comes directly from the vineyard character as the wine sees zero oak treatment. The wine is fermented in stainless steel where it remains for a year until bottling.
On the palate, this is fresh and lively with lots of crushed raspberry character and hints of vanilla and pepper. Stays fresh throughout the finish where there’s the slightest hint of bitterness. Really lovely and a candidate for “Cellar Sentinel”. My only complaint is that the price is creeping up a bit. 91 points. Find this wine and Support Tuscan Vines.
Paired perfectly with baked Berkshire pork chops but was also delicious pre-dinner with Speck and on its own.
~ A very pretty Dolcetto that drinks well now & can withstand 1-2 years in the cellar ~
Stay tuned for more new articles coming next week. Salute!
