Mascarello, Giuseppe
Perhaps the most Burgundian producer in the Langhe, these are wines that blend subtle power with finesse and delicacy of texture. They can really feel, and look like Burgundy, though they never lose their Piedmontese typicity. These are wines that are refined and can be subtle, most notably in their youth. But age tends to be very kind to Mauro Mascarello's wines. Son Giuseppe has taken over the reins as of the 2010 vintage, so small changes can be expected though to date the wines seem to have maintained their quality and perhaps have shown a tendency towards a generally cleaner character.
2013 Giuseppe Mascarello Barbera Scudetto 14.5%
Has the earthy base that Barbera gets with age though it remains complex, with carob and date accents to the core of dark fruit. On the palate this is quite fresh. Elegant and almost silky with a cool compressed feel to it, lovely tannins with acidity that is very fresh and lively in the mouth, this really is in a sweet spot, offering fine length, beautiful, detailed, nuanced style, none of the fat and sweet black fruit that young Barbera has, though it does show a hint of alcohol. 92pts
2014 Giuseppe Mascarello Freisa 13%
Pink peppercorn on the nose, a bit reticent,has some camphor and briar aromas as well. Medium bodied and transparent in the mouth with lovely nuance, a bit subdued perhaps but with purity and ripeness to the crispy cranberry fruit. Fine acids keep this playful and classic in the mouth but this is not but not demanding with a sing song quality to the finish as the fruit and spice take turns center stage. 91pts
2012 Giuseppe Mascarello Langhe Nebbiolo
Evergreen and menthol dominate the high toned nose which shows intense yet remains fairly cool for the vintage,has a little roasted, medicinal quality to the aromatics but the fruit remains red and fresh. Impressively fresh if rich with red fruit on the palate and yet with a certain delicacy. A great introduction to the house style, the fruit here is so pretty, with really fine length. 93pts
2012 Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Villero
Quite closed with just hints of dirty grassy notes on the nose. With a certain delicacy to it, this shows off very pretty red fruit, lots of clay minerality up front early on the palate, a little blue marn, then a tight kernel of red fruit with a gently peppery aspect. The finish is short right now, tight but focused and with a snappy, sappy character and a really lovely delicate texture. Real acid drive on the back end, man this has poise, a little tough to decipher today but the depth late on the palate adds further promise. 93pts
2012 Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Stefano di Perno 14.5%
Deeply fruited, lots of herb, rich with flowers, and tons of nearly black fruit, black berries. This has lots of fruit on entry, boysenberry like, rich but tender and a bit front loaded. Good acids, though the tannins show a little stern austere quality, with real depth and tension here. More rustic and less elegant than the Villero but with fine tension and texture with a slightly medicinal flavor profile. A somewhat chiseled, bitter herb laced, detailed wine, with tannins that are noticeably slightly coarse. 92pts
2012 Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Monprivato 14%
Menthol laced, nuanced nose, there's incredible freshness and real sweetness to the red fruit here underpinned by yellow limestone soil tones. Fairly open on the palate with a slight hole in the middle but it's fresh, lively and detailed with red currant tinged red cherry fruit. A little loose, a touch short, with tannins that are little less round here than usual, a very typical 12, very good wine but not the maximum. Still this is very good, there's a lot of fruit here yet to emerge. 92pts
Ten is more muscular than 13
2013 Giuseppe Mascarello Barbera Scudetto 14.5%
Has the earthy base that Barbera gets with age though it remains complex, with carob and date accents to the core of dark fruit. On the palate this is quite fresh. Elegant and almost silky with a cool compressed feel to it, lovely tannins with acidity that is very fresh and lively in the mouth, this really is in a sweet spot, offering fine length, beautiful, detailed, nuanced style, none of the fat and sweet black fruit that young Barbera has, though it does show a hint of alcohol. 92pts
2014 Giuseppe Mascarello Freisa 13%
Pink peppercorn on the nose, a bit reticent,has some camphor and briar aromas as well. Medium bodied and transparent in the mouth with lovely nuance, a bit subdued perhaps but with purity and ripeness to the crispy cranberry fruit. Fine acids keep this playful and classic in the mouth but this is not but not demanding with a sing song quality to the finish as the fruit and spice take turns center stage. 91pts
2012 Giuseppe Mascarello Langhe Nebbiolo
Evergreen and menthol dominate the high toned nose which shows intense yet remains fairly cool for the vintage,has a little roasted, medicinal quality to the aromatics but the fruit remains red and fresh. Impressively fresh if rich with red fruit on the palate and yet with a certain delicacy. A great introduction to the house style, the fruit here is so pretty, with really fine length. 93pts
2012 Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Villero
Quite closed with just hints of dirty grassy notes on the nose. With a certain delicacy to it, this shows off very pretty red fruit, lots of clay minerality up front early on the palate, a little blue marn, then a tight kernel of red fruit with a gently peppery aspect. The finish is short right now, tight but focused and with a snappy, sappy character and a really lovely delicate texture. Real acid drive on the back end, man this has poise, a little tough to decipher today but the depth late on the palate adds further promise. 93pts
2012 Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Stefano di Perno 14.5%
Deeply fruited, lots of herb, rich with flowers, and tons of nearly black fruit, black berries. This has lots of fruit on entry, boysenberry like, rich but tender and a bit front loaded. Good acids, though the tannins show a little stern austere quality, with real depth and tension here. More rustic and less elegant than the Villero but with fine tension and texture with a slightly medicinal flavor profile. A somewhat chiseled, bitter herb laced, detailed wine, with tannins that are noticeably slightly coarse. 92pts
2012 Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Monprivato 14%
Menthol laced, nuanced nose, there's incredible freshness and real sweetness to the red fruit here underpinned by yellow limestone soil tones. Fairly open on the palate with a slight hole in the middle but it's fresh, lively and detailed with red currant tinged red cherry fruit. A little loose, a touch short, with tannins that are little less round here than usual, a very typical 12, very good wine but not the maximum. Still this is very good, there's a lot of fruit here yet to emerge. 92pts
Ten is more muscular than 13