1993 Barolo Monprivato

1993 Barolo Monprivato—Dark ruby. Shows a dense, classic palate of ripe red fruit, with notes of leather and tar, but the tannins are overwhelming and the 1993 is not as expressive as the other wines in the tasting. I am sure there is more to the wine, but this bottle is tough to assess accurately today. 90+? points/drink after 2008, tasted 05/05 The Monprivato vineyard, located in Castiglione Falletto, is another of the great monopole sites in Piedmont. The Mascarello family has owned the vineyard, which measures just over six hectares, for over 100 years. Within Monprivato there had always been a special parcel from which Mascarello hoped to produce a riserva. In the mid-1980s Mascarello began a quest that would take him over four years to identify the best and most suitable clones of the Michet varietal to plant in the vineyard. The parcel was finally re-planted in 1988 and Mascarello named the new wine Ca’ d’Morissio (house of Maurizio) in honor of his grandfather. In the Cellar # G3,4. Antonio Galloni

Brick-edged pale red. Red cherry, strawberry, mint and a whiff of leather on the restrained nose; actually less floral and expressive than the '93 Ca d'Morissio bottling. Then rich, firm and precise; broader than the Ca d'Morissio but also more backward and brooding, and less spicy, today. Finishes with lovely subtle sweetness and length.