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Mario Marengo: Exceptional Barolo, Outstanding Scores & Four Generations of Winemaking

A Barolo Producer Worth Knowing

Located in La Morra, Mario Marengo is a fourth-generation family estate led by Marco Marengo, alongside his wife Jenny and son Stefano.

The family manages vineyards across some of Piedmont’s most celebrated sites, including Brunate, Bricco delle Viole, Pugnane and Valmaggiore.

Their philosophy is centred on showcasing the individuality of each vineyard, producing Nebbiolo with vibrant aromatics, refined tannins and beautiful structure.

In 2023, Jancis Robinson explored the extraordinary consistency of the estate in her article Barolo Refinement and Consistency, following an extensive tasting of 22 vintages of Marengo’s Brunate Barolo, spanning 1997 to 2019.

Robinson highlighted the exceptional quality of the family’s old-vine holdings in Brunate, where they have owned vineyards since 1903. The tasting demonstrated a remarkable consistency of elegance, complexity and freshness across more than two decades.

Read Jancis Robinson’s article here.

The Wines: Critically Acclaimed Barolo

2022 Mario Marengo Barolo Bricco delle Viole DOCG

97 Points — James Suckling

One of the standout wines from the 2022 releases, Bricco delle Viole offers an impressive combination of aromatic intensity, depth and structure. A powerful expression of Barolo from one of the region’s most distinguished vineyard sites.

James Suckling – 97 Points

“An elegant wine with a spicy profile, showing violet candies, black pepper, cedar, graphite, dried cherries, strawberries and liquorice. Austere, full-bodied and angular, with firm, dusty tannins.”

2022 Mario Marengo Barolo Brunate DOCG

96 Points — Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
94 Points — James Suckling

Brunate is the jewel in the Marengo family’s vineyard holdings, with old vines and a remarkable history dating back more than a century.

The vineyard is renowned for producing beautifully perfumed Barolo with a distinctive combination of finesse, power and age-worthy structure.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate — Monica Larner, April 2026

“The M. Marengo 2022 Barolo Brunate shows the best of La Morra winemaking, delivering a wine that marries both grace and power, a rare feat. In the warm, dry 2022 vintage, that balance is especially impressive given the many challenges faced by producers. The Brunate cru spans both La Morra and Barolo, with a mix of Tortonian marl and more compact soils that often yield wines combining aromatic elegance with structural depth. The tannins have a shiny, glossy quality, and the wine remains fruit-forward, bold and lively throughout.”

James Suckling — 94 Points

“A classic Barolo that’s elegant, savory, minerally and drinkable, with aromas of red fruit, dried flowers and earth. Full-bodied and savory if not salty on the palate, with crisp acidity and firm, dusty tannins. Polished finish. Drink or hold.”

2022 Mario Marengo Barolo DOCG

95 Points — James Suckling
94 Points — Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

An outstanding introduction to the Marengo style, offering the elegance and aromatic finesse synonymous with La Morra, balanced by the richness and generosity of the 2022 vintage.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate — Monica Larner, April 2026

The M. Marengo 2022 Barolo shows immediate elegance and careful workmanship, placing emphasis on fruit, spice and varietal typicity. The 2022 vintage brings added richness and power, yet the wine remains generous in both its fruit expression and supple texture, offering a polished and approachable profile. The Marengo family is based in La Morra, where Tortonian soils rich in marl and sand tend to produce Barolo with more accessible tannins and aromatic finesse. Indeed, this stands out as one of the nicest immediate-drinking Barolos from the vintage thanks to its classic lines and that extra padding.

James Suckling — 95 Points

“A floral and expressive Barolo displaying subtle spice, liquorice, embers and wild strawberry. Polished on the full-bodied palate, with velvety tannins and a dense yet refreshing finish.”

Why Mario Marengo Deserves Your Attention

The greatest Barolo producers aren’t necessarily the largest or most widely recognised.

Mario Marengo is a compelling example of what makes small, family-run estates so special: exceptional vineyard holdings, generations of experience and an unwavering commitment to expressing terroir.

From the elegance of Langhe Nebbiolo to the depth and complexity of Brunate and

Bricco delle Viole, these wines offer an authentic exploration of Piedmont’s most celebrated grape variety.

With international recognition from Jancis Robinson, James Suckling and Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, the latest releases further cement Marengo’s reputation as a producer to watch.

Whether you’re looking to expand your Italian wine offering, explore single-vineyard Barolo or discover a small producer with an outstanding pedigree, Mario Marengo is one to know.