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Massolino Winery Guide

Cellar Tours Insight — Since 2003, Cellar Tours has planned private wine journeys through the world’s leading wine regions, pairing tailor-made itineraries with VIP winery visits, fine dining, and expert regional guidance.

Winery Overview

For more than a century, the Vigna Rionda-Massolino Winery has been making a name for its self by producing spicy, aromatic Barolos. In the Barolo region of Piedmont, this fantastic family-run winery was founded in 1896 and is now run by three generations of the family, including winemakers Franco and Roberto Massolino. In the beautiful wine hamlet of Serralunga d’Alba, the small Estate is divided into four vineyards with only 18 hectares of planted vineyards. Yet, nearly a dozen pampered, boutique wines come from this modest landholding. The vineyard views from the winery are fantastic, a patchwork of colors in autumn (the best time to go wine touring in the Piedmont region).

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, minerals, and spicy notes to the wine. Nearby is the marly-lime-soiled Parafada vineyard, where 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.

Private Wine Tours in Piedmont

Private Wine Tours in Piedmont

Explore Piedmont with private visits to distinguished Barolo and Barbaresco estates, refined regional dining, truffle country, and elegant luxury hotels.

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Further Reading

Author

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Genevieve Mc Carthy

Genevieve, originally from San Diego, California, has spent the last 25 years living in Europe, primarily in Spain, Ireland, and Italy. She has a background in the wine industry, having worked for a top wine importer in Ireland and a prestigious winery in Italy's Franciacorta region. In 2003, Genevieve founded Cellar Tours, a boutique wine tours company based in Madrid, Spain. She holds wine education credentials from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) in London and has a strong network within the European wine industry. Genevieve's specializes in organizing VIP tours to exclusive wineries that are not accessible to the general public. With a passion for food and wine, fluency in multiple languages, and expertise in luxury travel and tourism, Genevieve has built a successful career in creating unique wine experiences.

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