Barolo Monprivato, Mascarello Giuseppe e Figlio 2004

The 2004 Barolo Monprivato is utterly magnificent in its freshness, nuance and delineation. Sweet floral notes meld effortlessly into hard candy, wild flowers, rose petal and pomegranate, all supported by super-fine tannins. I very much admire the sense of energy here. The 2004 is striking today, but it is also quite young. Readers who are seeking fully mature flavors will want to give the 2004 at least a few more years in bottle.

Mascarello's 2004 Barolo Monprivato is an explosive wine with an almost Pinot-like expression of purity in its fruit. This round, sweet Barolo is extremely primary at this stage, with tons of dense fruit that almost cover the wine's tannins completely. Subtle overtones of roses and tar develop in the glass, rounding out this majestic wine. Monprivato is one of the world's very finest values in collectible, age-worthy wine, and the 2004 is another classic in the making. I was blown away by this wine's sheer balance and harmony, both of which are remarkable considering the wine's age. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2034.