Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 2004

Vinous
Sensual, silky and totally alluring, the 2004 Barolo is another wine that is a picture-perfect example of its vintage. The aromatics alone are captivating, but it is the wine's total balance that places it in the upper echelon. After some of the ups and downs of the 1980's and 1990's wines, the 2004 really shows where the estate is today in terms of quality.

Wine Spectator
Shows aromas of dried flowers, mushroom and plum, verging on prune. Full-bodied, with soft, velvety tannins and beautiful fruit. This is generous but subtle, with chewy tannins and loads of character. The real deal. Best after 2011.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
“2004 is the first normal vintage I can remember in a while,” says Maria Theresa Mascarello. “We were finished with our Nebbiolo harvest on the 12th of October.” Her pure, finessed 2004 Barolo offers a compelling array of perfumed violets, dark cherries and baking spices with superb clarity and delineation. A weightless, ethereal Barolo, it reveals notable freshness and supple tannins on the long, finessed finish. Although I have tasted this wine many times from cask, I first encountered it from bottle at a blind tasting where it was immediately recognizable for its style, purity and class. This is the best young Barolo I have tasted here in many a year. Fans of traditional Barolo won’t want to miss this superb effort. The 2004 Barolo was fermented for 20-30 days in cement. The malos progressed at an unusually slow pace and weren’t finished until the following summer. The wine was aged in medium-sized casks. Readers can also look forward to promising wines in 2005, 2006 and 2007. I also had a chance to re-taste the 2003, which is a lovely Barolo for nearer-term consumption. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029.