Elio Grasso Barolo Ginestra Casa Mate 2015

AG 96 pts / WA 97 pts

AG: Grasso’s 2015 Barolo Ginestra Casa Matè is a dense, full-bodied Barolo that is going to need at least a few years to start unwinding. Dark fruit and a host of mentholated, balsamic notes all run through the 2015. Broad shoulders and tons of depth give the wine its distinctive feel. The Ginestra Casa Matè is usually more expressive at this stage than it is today. Time in the glass soften some of the edges, but the 2015 is a wine to cellar and then drink for the next 20-30 years. There is so much to look forward to.

WA: There is slightly more structure to the 2015 Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté than to the Gavarini Chiniera of the same vintage, and the only differences here are the soils and that this fruit is harvested about ten days later. It’s a pretty fascinating demonstration of the power of the single vineyard. The Gavarini Chiniera parcel offers slightly sandier soils, whereas this site is composed of more clay. In rainy years, the Gavarini Chiniera vineyard drains more effectively, whereas the Ginestra’s soil retains more moisture in the hot and dry vintages. As a result, in vintages such as this one, Ginestra shows a more compact nature and, in general, provides more impact and more structure. This is a very robust expression, extremely linear and tight. The Ginestra Casa Maté narrowly wins this round. It’s another beautiful Barolo.