3 | Wine | Nebbiolo, 86 or higher | Page 4

"A very pretty, harmonious wine endowed with tons of purity in its fruit. All of the telltale aromas and flavors of Monprivato are there – geraniums, roses, spices and flowers – but backed up by quite a bit of heft and body as well. Today, the 2005 Monprivato is quite tannic, but it should come around with a few more years in bottle. In some ways, the 2005 reminds me of the 1999, another vintage in which the Ca d’Morissio was not produced. Monprivato is typically one of the hardest wines to accurately assess when young, and only time will tell what heights it ultimately reaches. For now, the future certainly seems bright. This is a mysterious, seductive Monprivato that will be fascinating to follow. Mascarello was especially selective with his Monprivato and only bottled about 50% of his production. He also blended in the juice kept separately for the Ca d’Morissio, which in this vintage is about 20% of the final blend as opposed to the more typical 10% in vintages when the Ca d’Morissio is produced." 94+ pts.

"A huge, muscular wine. In 2005 the wine shows a decidedly fruit-driven, fresh style. The purity of fruit here is remarkable. The dark, brooding quality that is often present in the wine is absent, while floral, perfumed elements dominate in this vintage. The fruit remains dense, ripe and primary. From start to finish, this is a remarkable Bric del Fiasc."

"The 2008 Barolo is a striking wine at this level. Sweet red fruit, flowers, mint and spices are some of the nuances that emerge from the glass. This is one of the few 2008s that has lovely mid-palate presence to balance the focused, vibrant quality of the year. Layers of expressive, perfumed fruit linger on the finish. The Barolo was made from a number of vineyards, including parcels in Rocche, Mariondino, Vignane, Vignolo, Terlo, Bricco Manescoto, Albarella and Plicotti. How’s that for an all-star collection of sites? The 2008 is flat-out beautiful."

"Offers pretty blackberry and floral aromas, with cigar tobacco hints. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and silky, balanced fruit."

"The 2008 Sori Tildin is impressive. I confess I wasn’t quite prepared for the assault of fruit and tannins here. Sori Tildin is so often a graceful, elegant wine, but that is not the case in 2008. That’s not to say elegance is missing, but this is a big, big wine with tons of intensity and richness, all woven together beautifully. It’s tough to find a comparison with a previous vintage, as this is a singular Tildin. The flavors are familiar if a touch on the dark side, but the structure is closer than that of Sori San Lorenzo. Flowers, tar, leather and licorice wrap around the palate. This is a fabulous showing and a great wine in the making."

"The 2008 Barolo Bric del Fiasc is incredibly fine in this vintage, probably because of the addition of a new Riserva from this vineyard into the lineup. Dark red fruit, flowers, mint and spices flow from this graceful, refined Barolo. It will be interesting to see where the 2008 goes from here. I can’t say the 2008 is a very typical Bric del Fiasc because it is more finesse than power, but it is a very beautiful wine just the same."

"Gaja’s 2008 Sori San Lorenzo is impeccable from start to finish. The 2008 is a round, seamless San Lorenzo with seemingly no hard edges and terrific overall balance. The signature aromas and flavors are there, as is the wine’s typical gravitas, yet the 2008 has an extra level of sweetness, its size notwithstanding. The wine possesses striking inner perfume and fabulous overall balance. The sheer excitement of the very finest years isn’t quite there, but this is a fine bottle just the same. An explosive, juicy finish rounds things out in style."

"A deep, muscular wine endowed with superb richness, inner perfume and structure. From cask this has always been an intense, inward Barolo and now that it is in bottle, those qualities seem even more prominent. Over time, the classic Cascina Francia bouquet of roses, tar, herbs and licorice comes forward, but only reluctantly. A massive wall of tannins prevents the fruit from emerging, but every now and then the wine shows hints of its ultimate potential."

"The 2006 Gattinara Castelle flows with the essence of dark fruit, smoke, tar and scorched earth. This is a decidedly powerful, intense Gattinara endowed with gorgeous intensity in its fruit and fabulous overall balance. Floral notes are woven gracefully into the juicy, generous finish. The Castelle has more than enough structure to develop nicely for a number of years."

"Dark in color, with a fabulous purity of fruit, from blackberry to blueberry. Full-bodied, showing awesome concentration, but with a finish that's beautiful and honest."