I was in Piedmont for three days and did a visit to Bartolo Mascarelo. They are located in Barolo. I arranged the visit by calling the cellar, no website /email, and speaking to Maria Teresa Mascarello. As we walked around she talked about the tradition of making Barolo. She follows he same pattern of her father, he followed the same from his father and so on. So they are one of the most traditional producers in Piedmont. Three vineyards are blended for the one Barolo they produce - Cannubi, San Lorenzo and Rue. Total production is about 30,000 bottles, half of which are Barolo. The visit lasted about two hours and we tasted five wines. Certainly two hours well spent.
2012 Dolcetto d’ Alba
2011 Barbera D’ alba
2011 Langhe Freisa
2012 Langhe Nebbiolo
2009 Barolo
I visited back in the late summer of 2012. I tried ringing to make an appointment but an older lady (I believe it may have been Maria Teresa’a mother) answered and with my zero Italian we were stuck. I sent a fax from a friend’s house (as I don’t have a fax) and didn’t hear anything back. I left New Zealand for the mother in laws place in England and was just about to leave for Italy some while later when my friend back in NZ texted me to say that a fax had arrived and it was fine to visit, with a suggested time given. An American guy who has worked there for several years took me and another couple around and it was a very informative visit. We tasted a similar lineup to Gary (though earlier vintages, including both the '08 and '07 Barolo; the latter which they were offering for sale in magnums. As I arrived someone just rocked up to the front door to buy a few bottles which they were more than happy to do.
If you are trying to arrange a visit there I might suggest allowing the a little time for them to respond following my experience. Overall, of the seven estates that I contacted enquiring about visits, six responded with a yes which was a higher hit rate than I might have expected so I had to beg a little more time off from the wife and daughter to fit everyone in.
I tried but it didn’t workout when I was there in September. No complaints because I found I under budgeted time for the visits there. Next time, 2 per day (maybe 3 if need be).
Thoughts on the 2012 Langhe Nebbiolo & 2009 Barolo?
Liked both wines. The 2012 Nebbiolo was good and drinking/tasting well. The 2009 Barolo was good but tight, to be expected at this age. Showing the 2009 vintage effects, but still a very nice wine. Perhaps the multi-vineyard approach allowed for a better wine in a tough vintage.