# Vigna Rionda Riserva (2017)

- **Producer:** Massolino
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Nebbiolo
- **Region:** Piemonte, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €144
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 18–20 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** red cherry, cranberry, red apple, mint leaf, white pepper, cherry candy, wild strawberry, rose petal, wild berry, liquorice, blood orange, wild herbal notes, raspberry, dried flowers, sour cherry, coffee, chocolate, sealing wax, forest floor, oriental spices, goudron, leather, tobacco, earth

## About this wine

Massolino Vigna Rionda Riserva 2017 is a 100% Nebbiolo from the Barolo DOCG in Piedmont, Italy, specifically from the Vigna Rionda cru in Serralunga d'Alba. Massolino is the largest proprietor in this vineyard, which is known for its ancient vines and unique soil composition. The estate has been family-owned since 1896, focusing on expressing the specific terroir of their holdings. The 2017 vintage is noted for its balance, achieved despite a warmer growing season.

## Interesting facts

- Massolino is the largest landowner in the prestigious Vigna Rionda cru.
- Vines in Vigna Rionda are between 40-50 years old.
- This wine is always released with a minimum of six years of age.
- The vineyard soil is rich in limestone and oxidized iron.

## Food pairing

The wine's firm tannins and full body are well-suited to rich protein and fatty dishes, where they can soften and integrate. The wine's complex aromatic profile, often featuring notes of cherry and earthy undertones, complements earthy ingredients like mushrooms and truffles, as well as game meats.

## Wine making process

Massolino Vigna Rionda Riserva 2017 is produced from 100% Nebbiolo grapes. The grapes undergo fermentation and maceration on skins for 20 days at around 30°C, utilizing large wooden vessels. Following this, the wine is aged for 30 months in a 7,000-liter Slavonian oak botti. It then undergoes an additional 24 months of bottle aging before release, which always occurs a minimum of six years after harvest.