Barolo 2015 Bartolo Mascarello

Barolo 2015 Bartolo Mascarello

A warm and generous vintage, interpreted with timeless elegance

The 2015 Barolo from Bartolo Mascarello is a heartfelt expression of a warm yet balanced vintage. It reflects the estate’s unwavering commitment to tradition: no single-vineyard bottlings, no small barrels, no modern manipulation—just the pure voice of Barolo as it was meant to be.

A blend of crus, vinified as one

As always with Mascarello, this Barolo is a field blend of fruit from Cannubi, San Lorenzo, Rue, and Rocche di La Morra, all vinified together. Grapes are hand-harvested, fermentation is spontaneous in concrete vats, with extended skin contact and no use of barriques. Ageing takes place in large Slavonian oak casks for over 30 months. No filtering, no shortcuts—just a deep respect for place and time.

Tasting notes

👁️ Color
Bright garnet red with ruby highlights, luminous and lively.

👃 Nose
Expansive and inviting. Scents of dried rose petals, ripe cherry, plum, sweet spices, leather, licorice root, and a gentle balsamic lift.

👄 Palate
Silky and open-knit, with soft tannins and lovely acidity for the vintage. The texture is round and elegant, with a savory, spice-tinged finish that lingers gracefully.

In the vineyard and the cellar

Vineyards are farmed with care, without systemic chemicals. In the cellar, all fermentations are native, macerations are long, and nothing is filtered. The goal is not intervention, but honest expression. Each bottle is a quiet, confident statement of tradition.

The 2015 vintage

2015 was a warm and sunny year in Barolo, with excellent grape health and full phenolic ripeness. This vintage brings warmth and accessibility, without losing the structure and complexity for which Mascarello is known. Drinkable now, but capable of ageing beautifully.

Technical Sheet

• Producer: Bartolo Mascarello

• Appellation: Barolo DOCG

• Vintage: 2015

• Grape Variety: 100% Nebbiolo (from Cannubi, San Lorenzo, Rue, Rocche di La Morra)

• Vinification: spontaneous fermentation in cement, long maceration

• Aging: over 30 months in large Slavonian oak casks

• Alcohol Content: 14% vol

• Serving Temperature: 16–18°C

• Viticultural Approach: traditional, no systemic treatments

• Cellaring Potential: 25+ years

Bartolo Mascarello: The Purest Voice of Traditional Barolo

A True Icon of the Langhe

Bartolo Mascarello isn’t just a name in Barolo’s history — he’s a legend. His winery, nestled in the heart of Barolo village, stands as a symbol of unwavering tradition in Piemonte. A rebellious yet poetic figure, Mascarello turned his deep-rooted beliefs into both wines and cultural statements. He didn’t just make Barolo — he stood for it.

Rejecting Modernity for Integrity

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, when many producers leaned into modern techniques and barriques, Bartolo Mascarello stayed fiercely committed to the old ways. His handwritten labels became iconic slogans: “No barrique, no Berlusconi,” “Barolo is tradition,” or simply “Liberty.” These were more than phrases — they were acts of resistance.

The Vineyard as Philosophy

His vineyards — Cannubi, San Lorenzo, Rue, and Rocche di La Morra — are cultivated with the utmost respect for the land. No aggressive treatments, no systemic chemicals. And crucially, he never vinified parcels separately. For Bartolo, the essence of Barolo was found in blending, not in single cru expressions. That idea, now rare, was his signature.

Winemaking with Patience and Soul

Everything in the cellar is done slowly, by hand, and with heart. Spontaneous fermentations, long macerations of up to 40 days on the skins, and aging in large Slavonian oak casks. The wines are unfiltered, unfined, and uncompromising. Young Barolo Mascarello may seem austere — but give it time, and it reveals a depth and elegance that only tradition can produce.

The Legacy Lives On

When Bartolo passed away in 2005, his daughter Maria Teresa Mascarello took the reins. With quiet strength and exacting care, she has preserved her father’s philosophy, elevating the wines while keeping them true. Every vintage under her direction is a living expression of heritage, terroir, and time.

Why Bartolo Mascarello Matters

To drink a Mascarello Barolo is to step into a time capsule — not just of a place, but of a way of thinking. These are not flashy wines. They are profound, emotional, and intellectually honest. Each bottle tells a story of craft, courage, and cultural resistance, bottled without compromise.