Buy any 6 bottles and get free Ground shipping

Reviews

97 -James Suckling -

95 -Vinous -

We start with the 2012 Barolo from Bartolo Mascarello, which is everything I expect. Perfumed, gracious and utterly sublime, the 2012 is all nuance. It is a real treat to taste and drink after two weeks of tasting embryonic six-month-old Bordeaux. It is also absolutely gorgeous with some of the lighter first courses on the menu. I can see the bewildered faces of my guests, all of them native or adopted Bordeaux locals. How can a wine be so light and yet deliver so much depth and persistence? That, in a nutshell is what Nebbiolo is all about.

95 -Decanter -

A truly traditional Barolo. Grapes from Cannubi, San Lorenzo, Ruè and Rocche dell'Annunziata are co-fermented then aged in large Slavonian oak casks for 30 months. In 2012 the Ruè vineyard was hit by hail, reducing production (usually 15,000-20,000 bottles) by 20%. Exquisite aromas of anise, precise strawberry, raspberry and rose reveal themselves one by one. In the mouth, delicate flavours are framed by assertive tannins, with an exotic mix of spice lingering on the finish.

95 -Wine Enthusiast -

Focused and fragrant, this beautiful expression of the vintage opens with scents of violet, rose, perfumed berry and a hint of cake spice. The silky, linear palate doles out juicy red cherry, chopped aromatic herb, cinnamon and star anise alongside polished tannins and fresh acidity. Balanced and approachable, it will provide sheer drinking pleasure over the next several years or more. Drink 2017–2024.

95 -Wine Spectator -

94+ -Robert Parker's Wine Advocate -

The Bartolo Mascarello 2012 Barolo is a beautiful wine that is endowed by a deep sense of purity and clarity. What else should you expect from the producer whose name is forever linked to the definition of traditional Barolo? The wine is vibrant and elegant with an evident sense of inner grace that translates to both the nose and the mouthfeel. Silky and polished, the wine reveals delicate tones of wild rose, forest berry, licorice, dried ginger and cola. Maria Teresa Mascarello used the word fragile to describe this vintage and I think it is a poetically appropriate term for this wine.

Technical Details

Blend 100% Nebbiolo
Winemaker Maria Teresa Mascarello
Country Italy
Region Piedmont
Sub Region Langhe
Appellation Barolo
Vineyard Cannubi, San Lorenzo, Ruè & Rocche dell'Annunziat
Farming Method Sustainable Practices
Oak neutral Slavonian oak casks (botti)
Aging / Cooperage 30 months
Alcohol 14%
Production 1,100 cases

Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 2012

Name: Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 2012
Brand: First Bottle
SKU: 1012575
Price: 329.0 USD
Availability: InStock

Nebbiolo | Piedmont

JS97, VN95, DC95, WE95, WS95, WA94+

SPECIAL: Complimentary Ground Shipping!

Sustainable Practices

$500.00

$329.00

750ML

34% OFF RETAIL!

Few names in Piedmont carry the weight of Bartolo Mascarello. Under Maria Teresa Mascarello, the estate has stayed devoutly old-school, with fruit from four storied Barolo crus – Cannubi, San Lorenzo, Ruè, and Rocche dell'Annunziata – co-fermented together and aged 30 months in large Slavonian oak casks, the way great Barolo was made long before anyone chased points. The 97-point 2012 is a poignant vintage in its own right, as a spring hailstorm in the Ruè vineyard trimmed the already-modest production. Wines like this don't sit on shelves, and we managed to secure a small parcel. But be forewarned… after these six bottles are gone, that’s it.

Pour a glass and you'll understand the fuss. It's classic traditional Barolo – pale garnet in the glass, but anything but shy on the nose, where dried rose petals, wild strawberry, and crushed raspberry give way to sweet baking spice, licorice, a touch of orange peel, and that unmistakable Nebbiolo tar-and-tobacco character. The palate is magical, silky, and precise, red-fruited and floral, with fine-grained tannins that grip just enough to remind you this is a wine built for the long haul, all carried on bright, mouthwatering acidity into a finish that simply won't quit. Drinking beautifully now with a decant, and structured to reward another decade-plus in the cellar. Yours for $329 – a fair bit under the roughly $500 you'd expect to pay – and we'll cover free shipping on a single bottle, so there's no reason to leave this one behind.

About The Producer

Bartolo Mascarello is one of the most iconic and traditional wineries in Barolo, with roots going back to 1919 when Giulio Mascarello founded the estate in the heart of the Langhe and began bottling Nebbiolo from prime vineyards like Cannubi, San Lorenzo, Ruè and Rocche dell’Annunziata. Under Bartolo’s stewardship from the mid-20th century onward, the winery became famous for its steadfast commitment to classic Barolo methods—blending fruit from multiple crus, fermenting spontaneously, and aging exclusively in large Slavonian oak casks—eschewing the trends toward barriques and single-vineyard bottlings that swept many of his peers. After Bartolo’s death in 2005, his daughter Maria Teresa took over and continues to craft the estate’s small production of Barolo along with traditional Barbera, Dolcetto, Freisa and Langhe Nebbiolo, preserving his artisanal, terroir-focused philosophy while earning renewed critical acclaim and global demand for wines that embody the timeless elegance and heritage of Barolo.

Your Cart

You May Want to Add

Are you an existing First Bottle customer?