The 2011 Barolo is a very expressive wine with more determination and muscle than you usually get in the wines of Bartolo Mascarello. The bouquet opens to plush flavors of red fruit and cherry with grilled herb, tobacco and mineral delineation. Its structure is yielding and round and the finish is ripe with soft fruit flavors. Make no mistake, it doles out complexity and an ethereal sense of balsam herb, cola and licorice that is the hallmark of this historic estate with a tiny garage winery in the town of Barolo. The alcohol reading here is 14.5% compared to 14% in the 2010 vintage. The Bartolo Mascarello winery continues faithfully in its long-standing promise of delivering classic expressions of Nebbiolo in its purest form. (ML)

The 2011 Barolo from Bartolo Mascarello is such a surprise. Bright, translucent red, the 2011 immediately impresses with its captivating freshness and precision. There’s so much vibrancy. Given the warm, dry year, I was expecting to see a Barolo with some early signs of maturity, but the 2011 is incredibly young, not to mention an absolute delight. Time in the glass does start to reveal a bit less polish in the tannins relative to the very finest vintages, but that is expected in a very challenging vintage. This is a terrific showing. (AG)

Woodland berry, tilled soil, cake spices and a whiff of game are some of the aromas you'll find on this fragrant, impressive wine. The full-bodied, elegant palate delivers juicy red cherry, black raspberry, clove, chopped herbs and a hint of cured meat alongside a backbone of firm, refined tannins and bright acidity. (KO)