Bartolo Mascarello is a legendary winery in Barolo, Piedmont, known for its dedication to traditional winemaking methods. Founded in the 1920s by Bartolo's father, Giulio Mascarello, it has become a symbol of elegance, authenticity and craftsmanship in the world of Barolo wines. Bartolo Mascarello stands for craftsmanship and purity. They avoid modernist techniques such as new French oak barriques or micro-oxygenation. Instead, they use large Slavonian oak barrels (botti grandi) for longer aging, which creates delicate tannins and layered complexity. The winery produces a limited amount of wine of around 25,000 bottles annually, making its wines rare and sought-after. The grapes come from prestigious cru vineyards such as Cannubi, San Lorenzo, Rue and Rocche dell'Annunziata. The grapes are all vinified as a blend, which emphasizes balance and harmony rather than individual cru expressions. The Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 2017 has a light ruby red sheen from the glass and proves once again that elegance is possible – as long as the right hands are at work. In this case, those are the hands of Maria Teresa Mascarello, the legendary daughter of Bartolo. This renowned 2017 Barolo shines with its silky texture and shiny character, which permeates both the nose and the mouthfeel. On the nose, a refined palette of wild cherry, lilac, iron ore and candied orange peel gradually unfolds. The wine needs some time to fully open up, after which all these delicate details become visible. Acidity plays a key role in this graceful Barolo: it binds the fruit, enhances the tension in the wine and contributes a lively freshness. This is a collector’s item – a wine to carefully store in your cellar for decades to come