Massolino, Barolo

Profile of Massolino Winery

For more than a century, the Vigna Rionda-Massolino Winery has been making a name for itself by producing spicy, aromatic Barolos. This fantastic family-run, Piedmont winery was founded in 1896 and is now run by three generations of the family, including winemakers Franco and Roberto Massolino. The small estate, in the beautiful wine hamlet of Serralunga d'Alba, is divided into four vineyards that have only 18 hectares of planted vineyards among them. Yet from this modest land holding come nearly a dozen pampered, boutique wines. The views of the vineyards from the winery is fantastic, a patchwork of colors in autumn (the best time to go wine touring).

Massolino's best-known wine is its Classic Barolo; in production since 1911, this entry-level yet consistently excellent brew is a blend of grapes from several different vineyards. After generations of production, it's still the winery's best-known wine. Made with Nebbiolo grapes grown in different subzones, the wine reflects the terroir's broad and variable spectrum of perfumes, ranging from the classic spicy notes to those of a sweeter, floral and fruity nature.

The more exclusive wines originate in the winery's three cru vineyards: Margheria, Parafada and Vigna Rionda. These small one- to two-hectare vineyards are the birthplace of the highly respected wines Barolo Margheria, Barolo Parafada and Vigna Rionda Riserva. Each is a complex blend with great aging potential. The Margheria vineyard is one of the most important and famous cru vineyards of Serralunga, purchased by the Estate towards the end of the Fifties. The soil is calcareous with a good percentage of sand, adding elegance, mineral and spicy notes to the wine. Nearby is the marly-lime-soiled Parafada vineyard, where a wine with rich berry, leather and vanilla notes originates. With a similar marly lime soil, the vineyard situated in Vigna Rionda produces an important, potent wine, suitable for long aging.

Address:

Massolini
Piazza Cappellano, 8
12050 Serralunga d’Alba (CN)

Tel: +39 0173 613138
Fax: +39 0173 613949
Email: massolino@massolino.it
Web: www.massolino.it

Winery Details

D.O.C:Dolcetto d’Alba DOC, Barbera d’Alba DOC, Langhe DOC
D.O.C.G:Barolo DOCG, Moscato d’Asti DOCG
Founded:1896
Owner:The Massolino family
Winemaker:Franco Massolino, Roberto Massolino and Giovanni Angeli
Area under Vine:18 hectares
Oak:Large barrels built with Slovenian oak are used for most wines; only the Langhe DOC Chardonnay, the Barolo DOCG Parafada and the Barbera d’Alba DOC Gisep are aged in barriques.
Age of Vines: : 4 to 60 years old
Grape Varietals: Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Moscato, Chardonnay.

Vineyards

Massolino has four main vineyards in Serralunga d’Alba: The Classic Barolo vineyard, where Nebbiolo grapes are grown for that wine; the Margheria vineyard; the Parafada vineyard; and the Vigna Rionda vineyard

Classic Barolo Vineyard

Located in Serralunga d’Alba
Altitude of 320 - 360 m above sea level
Surface area of 5.4 hectares
Training system and planting density: traditional Guyot; from 5,000 to 6,000 vines per hectare
Yield per hectare: 6.5 tons
Average age of vines: from 4 to 45 years
Harvest: manual, from mid to late October
First year of production: 1911

The Margheria vineyard

Located in Serralunga d’Alba
Altitude of 340 m above sea level
Surface area is 1.1 hectares
Training system and planting density: traditional Guyot; approximately 5,300 vines per hectare
Yield per hectare: 5.5 tons
Average age of vines: 35 years
Harvest: manual, from mid to late October
First year of production: 1985

The Parafada vineyard

Located in Serralunga d’Alba
Altitude of 330 m above sea level
Surface area of 1 hectare Training system and planting density: traditional Guyot with approximately 5,800 vines per hectare.
Yield per hectare: 5.5 tons
Average age of vines: 55 years
Harvest: manual, from mid to late October
First year of production: 1990

The “Vigna Rionda” vineyard

Located in Serralunga d’Alba
Altitude of 330 m above sea level
Surface area of 2.0 hectares
Training system and planting density: traditional Guyot, variable from 6,000 vines per hectare in the older part of the vineyard and 5,000 in the newest part
Yield per hectare: 5.5 tons
Average age of vines: from 25 to 45 years
Harvest: manual, from mid to late October
First year of production: 1982

More Information:

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