Barolo, Massara, 2018

A flashier, more aromatic and exuberant profile in 2018, the Massara has a ripe red fruited nature with touches of balsamic, citrus and sandalwood. The warmer more humid summer in 2018 coming after the drought of 2017 meant that the vineyards were especially vigorous, and Mario explained that it was one of the very few vintages where he needed to carry out a strict green harvest to reduce the yield. This, it seems, was the key to unlock the wine’s seamless, enveloping fruit profile with no trace of dilution. Fermented in wooden vat as usual with submerged cap, however time on the skins was reduced to 25-30 days. Aged for 2 years in large cask and held back for additional time in bottle, rather than the customary 3 years in wood.