Score: |
97 AG. "... The 1996 Barolo is absolutely stunning. Vibrant and wonderfully alive, the 1996 exudes class. Time has gently softened the 1996 tannins, rendering the 1996 super-expressive today. Balsamic, mentholated notes, along with scents of tobacco and dried stone fruit continue to open up with time in the glass. The 1996 is still firm and quite powerful, but not as austere as many wines are in this vintage. Tar, licorice and scorched earth add the closing shades of nuance in an impeccably balanced, vivid Barolo that captures the personality of the vintage at its best. A visit with Bartolo Mascarello always lasted several hours. Conversations in his office touched on many subjects, but politics and the state of Barolo were always central to the discussion. By the time I met Mascarello he was already confined to a wheel chair, but I never saw his spirits diminished in any way. The gleam in his eyes conveyed an element of boyish mischief that I don't think he ever lost, even as his health deteriorated in subsequent years. Times were very different when the 1996 Barolo was released .... It was also a much simpler time. An appointment was easy to come by, I rarely saw anyone else at the winery, and there was no limit to the wines visitors could buy. Mascarello's 1996 is a super-classic, dark Barolo that will thrill readers lucky enough to own it or find it." Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com, Oct 2017 |