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The 1986 Barolo emerges from one of the most fascinating vintages of the last forty years. Devastating hail in May wiped out many vineyards and very few producers bottled Barolo. Most of the little wine that was released was made from tiny yields and the second flowering that followed the hail. A few 1986s were ultimately bottled but they languished under the shadow of the 1985s literally for decades. Both Bartolo Mascarello and Bruno Giacosa (who bottled a Red Label Riserva) told me they preferred 1986 over 1985. And so we arrive at Mascarello’s 1986 Barolo, a wine that, from magnum, captures all of the richness and intensity that the vintage provided all on its own. The 1986 here has always been a deep, muscular wine. That is exactly what comes through today.
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Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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Bartolo Mascarello’s 1986 Barolo, from a vintage plagued by hail, is a powerhouse, with layers of dense fruit and enough structure to drink well for another 20+ years. This magnum, from my cellar, is terrific, but not the best example of the 1986 I have had.
Bartolo Mascarello’s 1986 Barolo (magnum) is extraordinary. As Barolo lovers know, the crop was reduced severely by hail, but the wines that survived remain fabulous. Bartolo Mascarello’s Barolo is one of the wines of the year. Classic old-school Barolo aromatics are given a little extra amplitude by the richness of the year in a super-classic Barolo that dazzles everyone at the table. Interestingly, the 1986 is a hit with both novices and experts, proving that great wine is universal.
Bartolo Mascarello’s 1986 Barolo (magnum) also enjoyed a very strong showing. The old man himself acknowledged that his 1986, from a forgotten, insiders’ vintage, was superior to the 1985 and on this night the wine was simply beautiful, fresh and full of life.
About the producer
Bartolo Mascarello is one of the most respected, traditionalist Barolo producers. The Piedmont estate makes one of the region’s finest expressions of Nebbiolo.