1999 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo (lightly bin-soiled label)

While much of the hype on the most recent string of extraordinary vintages in Piemonte has justifiably focused on the 2001s and the 1996s, the 1999 vintage has also produced some brilliant young wines, and chief amongst these would be Bartolo Mascarello’s Barolo. There is already a seamless refinement to the ’99 on both the nose and palate that is extremely rare in traditionally-made Barolo, and which is very exciting for the ultimate shape of this wine at maturity. The very elegant young nose offers up a mélange of red and black cherries, roses, licorice, delicate undertones of tariness, woodsmoke and fresh herbs. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, pure and almost velvety for a young Bartolo, with great structure and focus, a brilliant core of sappy fruit, firm, ripe and well-integrated tannins, and great length and grip on the potentially silky finish. This is a brilliant wine in the making, that may well give both the 2001 and the 1996 a run for their money. (JG) 94+