Giuseppe Mascarello Barbera d'Alba Superiore Scudetto 2015
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Parker
Robert
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Intense ruby red with garnet reflections. Fruity bouquet of ripe grapes, vinous, intense characteristics. Balanced nerve and texture on the palate, excellent body.
Pair with red and white meats, fresh and spicy cheeses, cured meats, or first courses.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Since the 2014 vintage, this wine is no longer labeled as Superiore. The 2015 Barbera d'Alba Scudetto had just been bottled when I tasted my sample, but the sheer richness and exuberance of the fruit was nevertheless on full display. Barbera performed very nicely in this warm vintage, delivering opulent and generous black fruit aromas. This Barbera is rich in volume and texture as well. This wine, along with the Langhe Freisa Toetto and Langhe Nebbiolo, was released in late May 2018.
Other Vintages
2019-
Dunnuck
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Parker
Robert
Mauro has been the winemaker for the Giuseppe Mascarello estate since the late 1960s, succeeding his father, Giuseppe, and his grandfather, Maurizio, both legends in their time. And like them, Mauro is a traditionalist dedicated to long fermentations and aging in old botti.
But Mauro has also made important changes, not the least of which was the creation of a single Barolo from the great Monprivato vineyard in 1970. Prior to that year, his family had always made their towering Barolos and Barolo Riservas by blending Monprivato fruit with grapes from other sites.
Friendly and approachable, Barbera produces wines in a wide range of styles, from youthful, fresh and fruity to serious, structured and age-worthy. Piedmont is the most famous source of Barbera; those from Asti and Alba garner the most praise. Barbera actually can adapt to many climates and enjoys success in some New World regions. Somm Secret—In the past it wasn’t common or even accepted to age Barbera in oak but today both styles—oaked and unoaked—abound and in fact most Piedmontese producers today produce both styles.
An historic village situated right in between the famous regions of Barolo and Barbaresco, Alba is also the name for the larger wine region surrounding the village.
In a sense, “Alba” is a catch-all phrase, and includes the declassified Nebbiolo wines made in Barolo and Barbaresco, as well as the Nebbiolo grown just outside of these regions’ borders. In fact, Nebbiolo d’Alba is a softer, less tannic and more fruit-forward wine ready to drink within just a couple years of bottling. It is a great place to start if you want to begin to understand the grape. Likewise, the even broader category of Langhe Nebbiolo offers approachable and value-driven options as well.
Barbera, planted alongside Nebbiolo in the surrounding hills, and referred to as Barbera d’Alba, takes on a more powerful and concentrated personality compared to its counterparts in Asti.
Dolcetto is ubiquitous here and, known as Dolcetto d'Alba, can be found casually served alongside antipasti on the tables of Alba’s cafes and wine bars.
Not surprisingly, given its location, Alba is recognized as one of Italy’s premiere culinary destinations and is the home of the fall truffle fair, which attracts visitors from worldwide every year.