Giuseppe Mascarello, Barolo Riserva Monprivato Ca d’Morissio 2012

The Giuseppe Mascarello 2012 Barolo Riserva Monprivato Cà d’Morissio is only made in the best vintages. We did not see the wine in 2009 and 2011, but we did see it in 2010 and 2013. I have some reservations regarding this expression from the hot 2012 vintage. I tasted the wine at two separate moments, and although my first impression was one of enthusiasm, I was disappointed to see that it did not hold very long once the bottle was opened. This is a delicate and fragile wine that starts with wild berry and tobacco but ultimately reveals sun-drenched fruit, scorched earth and dried cherry skin. The quality of the fruit is very ripe, open and probably prone to some oncoming oxidation due to the hot and dry growing conditions. My suggestion is to catch this iconic wine on the near side instead of the far side.