1997 Mascarello, Bartolo - Barolo Nebbiolo - Italy - Piedmont - Barolo - Red

Medium red. Highly aromatic nose combines plum, redcurrant, mocha, road tar and dried flowers. Sweet on entry, then tougher in the middle, without quite the ripeness or depth of flavor of the '98. Comes across as less harmonious, as the tannins are a bit spikier. Still a bit stunted and dried from the recent bottling, though Mascarello notes that "one can practically drink this wine now."

I underestimated this wine from barrel, but now that the great old man of the village of Barolo, Bartolo Mascarello, has gotten it in bottle, it is an impressive, old style, heavyweight effort that will age for three decades. A dark plum/garnet color is accompanied by a striking bouquet of cinnamon, balsam wood, roses, tar, minerals, and cherry liqueur. There is good acidity, a broad, full-bodied, super-concentrated palate, and tell-tale truffle, leather, and dried herb notes. Powerful and long, this well-delineated, gorgeously pure, structured Barolo is a classic from the old school of Piedmontese winemaking.