DOCG Red

Massolino Barolo

Azienda Agricola Vigna Rionda

Grape
Nebbiolo
Denomination
Barolo DOCG
Region
Piedmont
ABV
14%
Body
Medium to full
Drink
2027 to 2041

Massolino's classic Barolo, made since 1947 mainly from Serralunga d'Alba vines and aged up to 30 months in big Slavonian oak. Cherry, rose, tar and leather with firm tannin; James Suckling 93 for the 2021. From £34 in the UK.

Best price
£29.00 Save 15%

2021 · 75cl · checked 26 Sep

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Prices read daily from 3 UK retailers. We earn a commission on some links; it never changes the order.

Where to buy Massolino Barolo

£29.00 best price · 3 retailers in stock · checked 27 Sep 2026

Stock is shown where the retailer publishes it, offers are sorted by price, and unavailable offers can’t be clicked.

Xtrawine Best price Save 15% 2021 · 75cl · checked 26 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£29.00 was regular price £34.00 £38.67/L
Buy
Hedonism Best price 2021 · Half bottle 37.5cl · checked 27 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£35.90 £95.73/L
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Decantalo Best price 2021 · 75cl · checked 27 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£42.43 £56.57/L
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Hedonism Best price 2021 · 75cl · checked 27 Sep
Read from the retailer's page once a day. Confidence is low, so treat it as a guide and confirm at the retailer.
£56.00 £74.67/L
Buy

Stock status is read from each retailer’s page once a day and may lag. Case and magnum listings show a per-bottle or per-litre equivalent and sit outside the best-price figure.

Tasting Notes

What Massolino's classic Barolo tastes like

Massolino has made this Barolo since 1947 from several vineyards, mainly in Serralunga d'Alba, and ages it up to 30 months in big Slavonian oak. Vivino's 3,702 reviews lead with cherry and strawberry, then leather and tar.

Tasted by
ItalianWines editorial (drinker consensus)
Tasted on
1 September 2026
Vintage in glass
2021
Source
Drinker consensus · confidence Medium
Taste profile
Body Light / Full
Tannins Smooth / Grippy
Sweetness Dry / Sweet
Acidity Soft / Crisp
Nose

Cherry and strawberry first, the red fruit 1,156 Vivino reviews mention, with rose petal and violet behind. Then the Serralunga side: tar, leather and undergrowth, plus the liquorice and smoke xtrawine's sheet lists. Massolino says the spread of vineyards gives it a broad range of scents, from spicy to floral.

Rose petalRose petal
VioletViolet
CherryCherry
StrawberryStrawberry
TobaccoTobacco
TarTar
LeatherLeather
LiquoriceLiquorice
SpicySpicy
Palate

Full-bodied and firm at 14%. Long skin contact in oak vats and up to 30 months in big Slavonian casks build classic, structured tannin, and the hot, dry 2021 season gave ample, ripe tannin with fresh acidity. It needs an hour in a decanter; give it that and the cherry fruit comes forward.

Finish

Long, dry and savoury, on tar, dried rose and a truffle note, with no new-oak sweetness because the casks are large.

Overall

The estate's calling-card Barolo, below its Margheria, Parafada, Parussi and Vigna Rionda bottlings. Drinkers rate it 4.2 from 23,590 Vivino ratings and James Suckling gave the 2021 93. Drink from 2027, best from about 2031, decanted, with braised beef or truffle pasta.

Best by 2041
Live UK pricing

Where to buy Massolino Barolo in the UK, and what to pay

The 2021 runs from £34 at xtrawine to £39.04 on offer at Decantalo and £56 at Hedonism. James Suckling gave it 93, so the xtrawine price is the one to take.

Best price · 75 cl £29.00 at xtrawine
Price spread £29.00 - £56.00 Across 3 UK retailers tracked
Retailers tracked 3UK 4 in stock
Vintages live 2021 Current release: 2021
Per-litre (75 cl basis) £38.67 Per-litre price for the lowest current offer
Last checked 27 Sep 2026 Refreshed once every 24 hours
Wine fit score

How Massolino Barolo scores on the Italian Wine Fit Score

Top marks for the cellar and for food, strong on value at £34, weaker for everyday drinking and beginners. A firm, traditional Barolo that wants a decanter and a plate of food.

Best for cellar 9.0/10

Up to 30 months in big Slavonian oak and Serralunga structure; Massolino says it ages well and Vivino drinkers still rate the 2003 at 4.3.

Best with food 8.8/10

High acidity and firm Serralunga tannin make it a food wine first: braises, game, truffle pasta and cheese all fit.

Best for an occasion 8.8/10

Barolo from a Serralunga family estate founded in 1896, with a 93 from James Suckling: a serious gift or dinner bottle at a fair price.

Best value 8.0/10

Half the Barolos on this site start above £59, and the typical Barolo listing here is about £87. So £34 for a wine with a 93 from James Suckling and a 4.2 from 23,000 Vivino drinkers is sharp.

Best intro to this style 5.0/10

A traditional, firm Serralunga Barolo at 14% that needs a decanter and years in bottle; better for a drinker who already likes structured reds.

Best everyday bottle 3.0/10

At £34 and up, with tannin that wants food and a decanter, this is a Sunday or special-dinner wine.

Scoring is rule-based and deterministic. The model and weightings are documented in our Wine Fit Score methodology.

Denomination Compliance Snapshot

Barolo in five fields

A compact view of what the Barolo denomination actually requires, and how this bottle sits inside it. Pulled from the official Italian disciplinare.

Allowed grapes
1 varieties listed
This bottle: Nebbiolo.
Minimum ageing
38 months minimum
Of which 18 months in oak.
Region / area
Cuneo, Langhe: Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d'Alba, La Morra, Monforte d'Alba, Novello, Verduno, Grinzane Cavour, Diano d'Alba, Cherasco, Roddi
Source: Disciplinare.
Style
DOCG · Barolo
Minimum ABV at this colour: 13.0%.
Classification
DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita)
What that means →
Vintages

Massolino Barolo 2021: a benchmark year that needs time

2021 had a hot, dry summer and a late harvest, a vintage Decanter calls a modern benchmark: ample, ripe tannin with the acidity kept fresh. From Serralunga, that means patience: best from about 2031.

2021 Current release
Best price
£29.00
Retailers
4 in stock
ABV
14.0%
Window
Ready from 2027 to 2041

2021 had a hot, dry summer and a late harvest, and Decanter calls it a modern benchmark: ample, ripe tannin with the acidity kept fresh. Serralunga's structure means this needs time. Drink from 2027, best from about 2031.

2021 Current release
Best price
£29.00
Retailers
4 in stock
ABV
14.0%
Window
Ready from 2027 to 2041

2021 had a hot, dry summer and a late harvest, and Decanter calls it a modern benchmark: ample, ripe tannin with the acidity kept fresh. Serralunga's structure means this needs time. Drink from 2027, best from about 2031.

Drink-now / hold guidance reflects general style cues for this wine, not a forecast for a specific bottle. Where vintage-level editorial notes exist, they appear above.

The disciplinare, the place, the label

What sits behind a £34 Barolo from Massolino

Barolo DOCG caps yields at 8 tonnes a hectare and holds the wine back 38 months. Massolino keeps it in Slavonian oak for up to 30 months of that, then rests it in bottle, and draws the grapes from Serralunga, the commune the family has farmed since 1896. £34 is cheap for that.

01

DOC, DOCG, IGT: what the badges mean

Italian wine law sorts bottles into a pyramid. DOCG sits at the top: tightly drawn boundaries, prescribed grapes, mandatory ageing, government tasting before release. DOC is the same idea with looser thresholds. IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) is broader still, requiring only that 85% of the grapes come from the named territory.

Barolo is in the DOCG tier. That is not a quality verdict, it is a description of how much freedom the producer has at vinification and ageing.

02

The denomination rules, in detail

  • Allowed grapes. 1 varieties listed in the disciplinare
  • Yield ceiling. 8.0 tonnes per hectare
  • Minimum ABV. 13.0% vol
  • Minimum ageing. 38 months total (of which 18 in oak)
  • Tasting panel. Mandatory pre-release tasting commission
03

Region and area context

Barolo falls within Piedmont, covering Cuneo, Langhe: Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d'Alba, La Morra, Monforte d'Alba, Novello, Verduno, Grinzane Cavour, Diano d'Alba, Cherasco, Roddi. The denomination is further divided into 11 sub-zones.

Barolo DOCG zone Wine route in the zone

Made at Azienda Agricola Vigna Rionda, Serralunga d'Alba.

Wine route in the zone: Langhe Nebbiolo Route.

04

Reading the label

  • Azienda Agricola Vigna RiondaProducer / estate
  • NebbioloGrape varieties
  • Barolo DOCGGeographic indication and quality tier
  • 2021Vintage (year of harvest)
  • 14.0% volAlcohol by volume
  • Imbottigliato all’origineEstate-bottled
05

What sits behind the price of Massolino Barolo

Tracked from
£29.00
Direction
Mostly cost up
Drivers
4 up / 1 down
Main factor
Nebbiolo mainly from Serralunga d'Alba, with Barolo yields capped at 8 tonnes a hectare
  1. 01

    Nebbiolo mainly from Serralunga d'Alba, with Barolo yields capped at 8 tonnes a hectare

    Cost up

    Barolo rules allow only 8 tonnes of grapes per hectare, and Massolino draws this wine mainly from its Serralunga d'Alba plots, the commune the family has farmed since 1896. Little wine per vine, on expensive ground.

  2. 02

    Up to 30 months in large Slavonian oak, then bottle ageing

    Cost up

    Massolino holds the wine in big Slavonian oak casks for up to 30 months, then rests it in bottle in dark, cool cellars before sale. The DOCG demands 38 months from harvest; that is money tied up for over three years.

  3. 03

    A 57-hectare family estate making 460,000 bottles

    Cost down

    Massolino farms 57 hectares and makes about 460,000 bottles a year. That scale keeps the classic Barolo at £34 to £56, the entry point to a range that runs up to the Vigna Rionda Riserva.

  4. 04

    A James Suckling 93 and 23,000 Vivino ratings

    Cost up

    Scores like James Suckling's 93 for the 2021 and a 4.2 average from more than 23,000 Vivino drinkers keep demand strong, so UK merchants have little reason to go below £34.

  5. 05

    UK VAT and alcohol duty

    Cost up

    On £34, VAT is £5.67 and duty on a 14% wine adds roughly £3.10, so about £8.75 of the price goes to HMRC before xtrawine takes a margin.

01

Nebbiolo mainly from Serralunga d'Alba, with Barolo yields capped at 8 tonnes a hectare

Cost up

Barolo rules allow only 8 tonnes of grapes per hectare, and Massolino draws this wine mainly from its Serralunga d'Alba plots, the commune the family has farmed since 1896. Little wine per vine, on expensive ground.

Perfect Pairings

Dishes that go with this wine

Roast Pheasant, plated

Roast Pheasant
Food Pairing

Serralunga tannin, Nebbiolo acidity: dishes that fit Massolino Barolo

Massolino's own list is red meat, game, truffle dishes, fresh egg pasta with meat sauce, risotto and medium-mature cheese. Decant it an hour and serve at 18 to 20C.

Tannin softening Strong match

Braised beef and game

Serralunga tannin grabs the protein and fat in a long braise and turns silkier, and the meat tastes sweeter for it. Red meat and game head Massolino's own list, and brasato al Barolo is the Piedmont classic.

Try with: Brasato al Barolo · Ossobuco alla Milanese · Bollito dei Pastori · Venison Stew · More pairings →

Aromatic bridge Strong match

Truffle dishes

The tar, leather and undergrowth that 982 Vivino reviews mention echo white truffle, and Massolino names truffle dishes as a match. Tajarin with truffle and this Barolo come from the same hills.

Try with: Tajarin al Tartufo · Truffle risotto · Tagliatelle al tartufo di Acqualagna · More pairings →

Fat cutting Good match

Egg pasta with meat sauce, and risotto

Nebbiolo's high acidity cuts the butter and egg in fresh pasta and the cheese in a risotto, so each mouthful tastes clean again. Massolino lists both as matches for this wine.

Try with: Agnolotti del Plin · Ragu alla bolognese · Risotto alla Milanese · More pairings →

Salt balance Good match

Medium-mature cheeses

Salt in a medium-aged cow's or goat's cheese softens the firm tannin and brings the cherry fruit forward. Massolino suggests medium-mature cow's or goat's cheese. The strongest blues would fight the wine.

Try with: Frico · Fonduta · Wensleydale · More pairings →

Body matching Good match

Roast and grilled red meat

A firm 14% Barolo with a long finish holds its own against a big piece of meat. Keep the seasoning simple, so the rose and tar in the wine still show.

Try with: Fiorentina steak · Sunday Roast Beef · Lamb chops

Avoid Clash

Hot spice, sweet sauces and delicate fish

Chilli heat makes Serralunga tannin taste harsh and the 14% alcohol burn. Sweet sauces flatten the dry fruit, and raw or delicate fish turns metallic against the tannin; those dishes want a crisp white like Arneis.

Skip with: Chicken madras · Sweet and sour pork · Sashimi · Steamed sea bass · Pairing guide →

Drinking + cellar

Cellaring Massolino Barolo: built to age

Massolino says the wine ages well, and Vivino drinkers still rate the 2003 at 4.3. Serralunga gives firm structure, so the 2021 should improve for a decade and hold to 2041.

Drinking window
2027 → 2041

Peak around 2033. Best in the years above; holds without falling over either side.

Decanting
1 hour

A short splash decant softens the first-pour edge and opens the aromatics.

Serving temperature
16-18°C

Aim for the cooler end on a warm day; warmer end opens up more aromatics.

Cellar potential
High

Up to 30 months in big Slavonian oak and Serralunga structure; Massolino says it ages well and Vivino drinkers still rate the 2003 at 4.3.

Buy now or wait?
Buy now

£29.00 for a 75cl bottle of the 2021, at Xtrawine, is the best price we track, and we have no signal of further discounting.

Sources & trust

Sources behind this Massolino Barolo page

Prices & stock

Read directly from each retailer’s public product page once a day. Last refresh: 27 Sep 2026, 01:35 BST. We do not hold stock and we do not accept payment for placement.

Confidence · High
Tasting notes

Drawn from what drinkers consistently report on Vivino and Wine-Searcher, summarised in our own words. A crowd read across many tasters, not a single critic.

Confidence · Medium
Appellation rules & ageing

From the official Italian disciplinare for this denomination, cross-checked against the Ministry of Agriculture register.

Confidence · High
Why it costs what it costs

Our reading of the price, drawn from the disciplinare, public UK duty rates, and typical landed-cost benchmarks. Not a quote from the producer or a retailer.

Confidence · Medium
Drink window & cellar potential

Style guidance for this kind of wine at this price point. Treat it as advice, not a forecast for the bottle in your hand.

Confidence · Medium
Related

Massolino, Barolo and Nebbiolo: linked pages

Producer
Azienda Agricola Vigna Rionda Piedmont
Grapes
Nebbiolo
Denomination
Barolo DOCG
Region
Piedmont Region guide
Cuisine
British Cuisine 1 dishes paired

Common Questions

Yes. It is the classic Barolo from a Serralunga d'Alba family estate founded in 1896, rated 4.2 out of 5 by more than 23,000 Vivino drinkers. James Suckling gave the 2021 93 points. It is a traditional, structured style rather than a soft one.

Mainly Massolino's vineyards in Serralunga d'Alba, with some from Castiglione Falletto. The estate farms 57 hectares on limestone-rich soils. The first vintage of this Barolo was 1947.

The traditional way: long fermentation and skin contact in oak vats at about 30C, then up to 30 months in large Slavonian oak casks, then bottle ageing in dark, cool cellars. It is 100% Nebbiolo at 14%.

£34 at xtrawine, £39.04 on offer at Decantalo and £56 at Hedonism for the 2021. Prices on this page update as retailers change them.

From about 2027, and best from 2031 to 2041. 2021 gave ample, ripe tannin with fresh acidity, and Serralunga Barolo is firm when young. Decant it for an hour.

Massolino's own list: red meat, game, anything with truffle, egg pasta with meat sauce, risotto and medium-mature cheese. Brasato and tajarin with white truffle are the Piedmont classics.

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Massolino Barolo
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