2003 Barolo

Sweet tobacco, dried flowers, mint, and dried herbs meld together in the 2003 Barolo. The aromas have just begin to develop hints of tertiary complexity and nuance, while there is more than enough depth to support another decade of very fine drinking. The 2003 doesn't have the finesse or polish of the best vintages, but it has certainly held up well. Exceptionally well.

Medium red with an amber edge. Explosive, very expressive aromas of dried cherry, strawberry, mocha, earth, smoke and milk chocolate. Suave, clean and not at all cooked, with a compellingly chewy texture to the sweet, bright flavors of strawberry, truffle and underbrush. Sneaky acidity and dusty tannins give this very long wine a distinctly sappy finish. "Yes, it's atypically agreeable, but it would be a pity to drink this now," noted Maria-Teresa, who told me she did a somewhat shorter maceration than usual in 2003 and ultimately bottled just over half of her normal quantity of Barolo-and no magnums.

Mascarello's 2003 Barolo reveals expressive, perfumed, high-toned aromatics along with ripe red cherries, menthol and licorice in an expression of this wine that is unusually rich, while maintaining remarkable freshness for the vintage. this very pretty, medium-bodied Barolo needs a few more years in bottle to settle down.