Massolino, Barolo "Vigna Rionda" Riserva Black Label

Made from Nebbiolo grapes grown in the Vigna Rionda vineyard (sheet no. 8, land parcels 79-80-81-82-84-85-86) in Serralunga d’Alba. Altitude: 330 m above sea level. Total surface area: 2.3 hectares. Soil composition: marly lime. Training system and vine density: traditional Guyot; varying from 6,000 vines per hectare in the older part of the vineyard to 5,000 in the younger part.

Yield per hectare: 4.5 tonnes. Average age of vines: from 30 to 50 years. Harvest: manual, in the second half of October. First year of production: 1982. Total bottles produced: 8,400 750 ml bottles, 300 1.5 l bottles, 100 3 l bottles and 50 5 l bottles. Alcohol content: 13.5-14.5% vol., depending on the vintage. Vinification and ageing: traditional Barolo par excellence, with fermentation and maceration lasting 25-30 days at temperatures which vary between 31 and 33°C. It is aged for a total of 6 years, 3 and a half of which in traditional large Slavonian oak barrels and the remaining 2 and a half in the bottle.

Note: the soil and microclimate of this hill make it possible to obtain wines with exceptional structure and potency. Traditional vinification fully enhances the gifts of this cru, respecting the natural predisposition for long ageing. Barolo Vigna Rionda expresses its best characteristics as time goes by. Tasting characteristics: Appearance: bright garnet red. Bouquet: from very intensely floral in the early years to characteristic “goudron” as it ages, through a multitude of scents which are always particularly seductive. Flavour: probably the most potent of all our products, it perfectly summarises the essential characteristics of Barolo wine, such as grand structure, excellent alcohol concentration and tannins capable of guaranteeing very long ageing.

It opens up gradually and reaches its maximum and most important expression after ageing for a few years; this leads to its release for sale in the sixth year after harvesting with an increasingly consistent part of the wine being held back for release in the tenth year!!! It is best to decant and serve it at temperatures between 18-20°C. It expresses its best potential when served with meat dishes, rich in intense and persistent aromas and flavours, such as joints of lamb or kid.

Also, thanks to its marked tannins, it is simply superb with the bitter-sweet alternation of furry and feathered game. A complex wine, constantly in evolution, capable of guaranteeing unique sensations for refined and demanding palates.

Wine	Scores	Downloads	Reviews
Massolino, Barolo "Vigna Rionda" Riserva Black Label 2017	98 Wine Spectator Cherry, strawberry, rose, iron and menthol flavors highlight this supple red. There’s plenty of backbone, and woodsy notes chime in, but this is more about the expressive berry fruit and elegant side of Barolo, ending with a terrific finish. Nonetheless, this will require several years for the tannins to be absorbed. To be released September 2022. Best from 2025 through 2045. 1,000 cases made, 250 cases imported. 97 Wine Advocate This is a gorgeous wine, and although it could stand more years of aging, you’re not wrong to enjoy it in the near or medium term either. The 2017 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is packed tight with dark fruit, but it also shows a delicately savory edge with black licorice and rusty metal. The wine’s intensity and the mouthfeel are sublime. Aging sees it go into botte for 36 months followed by another 36 months in bottle before its release. Production is 12,500 bottles.	Bottle Image Label Image Shelf Talker Tech Sheet