With the world increasingly enchanted by the magic of classical Barolo, the Giuseppe Mascarello estate’s Barolo Monprivato has emerged as one of the region’s crown jewels. Such acclaim is long overdue for a winemaker whose track record dates back more than six decades. But it was also inevitable: now that Giovanni Conterno, Bartolo Mascarello, and Beppe Rinaldi are gone, he is the last of his generation of great, classically inspired Barolo winemakers.
The Mascarello family’s winemaking journey began in 1881, when Giuseppe Mascarello acquired a plot in the Monforte d’Alba area. A few decades later, the family moved its operations to Castiglione Falletto and eventually settled in Monchiero. Over generations, the estate grew in stature under the careful stewardship of Giuseppe’s descendants.In 1921, Giuseppe’s son Maurizio Mascarello purchased the now-famous Monprivato vineyard, a site that would become the cornerstone of the family’s legacy. Since its first vintage in 1970, Mauro’s Barolo Monprivato has been one of the Langhe’s most consistently magical wines.
The secret to its greatness can be found not only in Mauro’s winemaking but in a very special terroir. Approximately 15 acres in size on a southwest-facing slope in Castiglione Falletto, Monprivato’s white and gray marl soils offer textbook conditions for Nebbiolo.Monprivato has been known as a special vineyard since at least the 1600s, and a quarter century ago Renato Ratti’s epic classification of Barolo vineyards ranked Monprivato among Barolo’s ten greatest vineyards, analogous to a Burgundy grand cru. When Maurizio Mascarello purchased it in 1921, he secured not just land but a legacy that would define the estate's identity for generations. And in the 1980s, Mauro purchased all but a tiny sliver of the site, effectively making it one of only a handful of great Barolo vineyards to be entirely owned by a single estate. It took a few years for our team to discover this special Barolo and now it has changed our perspective on what can be achieved from this region rich with history. Giuseppe Mascarello Monprivato is the most ethereal and refined Barolo we have come across, this wine doesn't just sit on the spectrum of elegance; it redefines it. Often hailed as the "Grand Cru Burgundy of Barolo," it's a style so enchanting and addictive that even Bacchus himself would raise a glass in approval. Here at The World of Wine, we strive to keep holdings in our collection within reach, but it's no small task.
Supplies are limited, so consider yourself fortunate if you can snag a bottle.