2014 Barolo, Vigna Rionda, Riserva, Massolino, Piedmont, Italy

The Massolino 2014 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is a wine that speaks of vintage as articulately as it speaks of site. The 2014 vintage is one of the most distinctive within these past two decades, with a quality of fruit that is fine, light, ethereal and almost fragile. However, Serralunga d'Alba, where the Vignarionda cru is located, is always characterized by extra power, structure and fruit weight. In a sense, this Riserva represents an intersection between those two opposites, showing both elegance and muscle. The wine opens to a pretty garnet color, and the aromatic intensity is well developed and capped by a mid-weight finish. Wild berry tones are followed by iron ore, blood orange and camphor ash.

97/100, Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (July 2020)