Dear Friends,
We often tend to remember the year that has come to an end for the challenges it brought; 2025, especially from a geopolitical and commercial perspective, presented quite a few. Yet we firmly believe it is equally important to look at the beautiful moments it gave us.
Nature rewarded us: a balanced growing season gifted us with a spectacular harvest. We are pleased to see the perception of our winery steadily growing, and the trust in our work, often received with warmth and a touch of lightheartedness, fills us with pride.
We would like to extend a special thank you to all those who chose us, bringing our bottles to the table to make a dinner with friends, a romantic occasion, or a reflective evening by the fireplace even more special.
We have just begun a truly special year: exactly seventy years ago, our family took its first steps in Vigna Rionda, inheriting a small yet precious vineyard. It marked the beginning of an adventure that has given us an extraordinary past and that, today more than ever, looks toward a radiant future.
Much has been said about this renowned and celebrated hillside; yet among its rows lie personal anecdotes and untold stories that no book can capture, and that we cannot wait to share with you. Today, we begin this journey together: stay with us, because what lies ahead promises to be even more fascinating.
Wine is joy, sharing, pleasure. For generations, our family has pursued the same steadfast goal: bottling emotions.
Welcome, 2026! Raise your glasses and let us toast together. Our warmest wishes to you all for a happy New Year.
The Massolino Family
Roots in Vigna Rionda since 1956
For us, 2026 holds deeply symbolic value: 70 years in the legendary cru Vigna Rionda.
It was 1956 when the Massolino family first came into possession of a parcel in this extraordinary vineyard, inherited from Matilde Ornato, aunt of Renato, Giovanni and Camilla, members of the third generation. A transition that marked a defining moment in our history, so significant that it also led to a change in our name: from “Massolino Giuseppe e Figli” to “Azienda Agricola Vigna Rionda Massolino.”
A bond that began then and has become, harvest after harvest, an integral part of our identity.
As early as 1977, Luigi Veronelli, the Italian journalist widely regarded as the father of modern food and wine criticism in Italy, wrote:
“I place Giuseppe Massolino’s wine according to its geography and according to my own subjectivity. Consider, my reader, that the two vineyards are located in the heart of Vigna Rionda, just below the country road. I have always proclaimed this cru the most exalted in Serralunga d’Alba. My long and thoughtful tastings of the two vintages, 1970 and 1971, confirm it: ruby red colour, almost garnet; in the 1970 the orange reflections and yellow rim are already evident; a broad, rich and persistent bouquet (in both, notes of violet and tar, more pronounced in 1971,and dried rose, more pronounced in 1970); an austere palate, complete in itself (more ready in 1970); destined for a long life; firm backbone; aristocratic bearing, purebred character.”
Veronelli concluded the article with these words: “Massolino and Sons have their serious fault: nowhere on the label is their pride in this exalted cru mentioned.”
This testimony takes us back to the 1970s, when Barolo was vinified according to a classical approach, blending Nebbiolo grapes from several vineyards, a choice that, at the time, represented the most authentic and traditional expression of this great wine.
At Massolino, the Barolo described above was born from precisely this philosophy, enhancing the strengths of the different estate crus, including Vigna Rionda.
The turning point came with the 1982 vintage, the first release of our Barolo Vigna Rionda Riserva vinified exclusively from a single MGA (Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva), marking the beginning of a path increasingly tied to the precise identity of the cru.
Since then, Vigna Rionda Riserva has been produced only in vintages deemed exceptional, allowing us to elevate this iconic label as a guarantee of uncompromising quality. The selection is carried out through blind tastings, evaluating both the vintage and the wine’s consistency with the authentic expression of this cru, beyond any perception dictated by the market.
But let us return to the present: today, we are delighted that the journey, care and dedication we devote to this Barolo are recognised internationally. Proud to produce a label of such calibre, we are pleased to share the scores awarded to the 2019 vintage: Wine Spectator 98, Vinous 96, I Vini di Veronelli 96, Falstaff 98, Decanter 97, James Suckling 97, Gardini Notes 99, Robert Parker Wine Advocate 97, DoctorWine 98.
