Marchesi di Barolo 'Barolo Sarmassa' 2014

A founder of the Barolo style, Marchesi di Barolo remains a family estate representing the great wine traditions of Piedmont, controlling 430 acres of UNESCO World Heritage Vineyards, including holdings in the exclusive Barolo crus of Cannubi, Sarmassa, and Coste di Rose.

Sarmassa faces southeast on a gently sloping hillside. Here, although the surrounding area is geologically from the Tortonian period, the soil, also due to the slope of the soil that caused an abundant washout, has typical characteristics of the soils of the Helvetian period: mainly calcareous-clayey very compact and a percentage of skeleton stones, truly remarkable. The high presence of stones associated with clay limits the vegetation of the Nebbiolo vine. It predisposes the vines to be promptly affected by climatic variations, favouring the perfect ripening of the bunches.  Barolo Sarmassa reaches maturity eight years after the harvest, and the maturation plateau is between 8 and 30 years.  The wine is, therefore, very structured, colourful, tannic, and long-lived.

93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

From a beautiful growing site in the Barolo township that consistently delivers structure and depth, the 2015 Barolo Sarmassa offers a slightly austere and firm personality that puts the wine in a good position in terms of its future bottle aging potential. This Barolo reveals thick, etched lines with dark fruit, plum, spice and tangy licorice. The wine appears direct, fruit-forward and suitably propped up by its thick inner fibre. Some 20,000 bottles were made.

93 Points - James Suckling

Mellow red cherries and earthy, lightly leathery nuances make a forward, complex nose, which leads to a palate with simple red strawberries. Acidity is salient. A nicely cut finish.

92 Points - Wine Spectator

Rich, exhibiting black cherry, plum, spice and tar flavours, this red features a muscular structure. Balanced and long, echoing spice and tar notes on the aftertaste. Best from 2022 through 2036.