NV Barolo Monprivato Vertical (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 – ex Rino Fontana)

2006 Barolo Monprivato Medium polish red; less saturated than the 2007. Less fruity and floral and more earthy/spicy on the nose than the '07, exuded notes of red berry liqueur and underbrush with air. Then tighter and more penetrating in the mouth, conveying more force than the '07 and a much more austere texture. Seems large but at the same time lower in alcohol. This very precise, powerfully structured wine finishes dry, long and youthfully imploded, with subtle spice and floral nuances. More classic than the 2007 but also far less agreeable today: forget this one in the cellar for a decade, at which point it may make my early rating look stingy. 93+Pts Antonio Galloni 2007 Barolo Monprivato Medium red. Subtle, reticent, very pure nose offers perfumed scents of wild red cherry, rose petal and wild herbs; the most refined of Mascarello's 2007 Barolos. Wonderfully silky and fine-grained on the palate, but with terrific calcaire precision and lift. The wine's highly aromatic red cherry and floral flavors saturate the palate without leaving any impression of weight. This vintage of Monprivato includes about 4% each lampia and rose, the rest is michet, including the juice that normally goes into Mascarello's limited Ca d'Morrisio bottling. The very long finish features harmonious acidity and firm but suave tannins that reach the front teeth. A beauty. 94+Pts Antonio Galloni 2008 Barolo Monprivato Mauro Mascarello's 2008 Barolo Monprivato is a much more lifted and translucent wine than the 2006 Le Vigne. A wine that needs considerable air, the 2008 only starts to blossom with a few hours in the glass. Monprivato is often quirky, but the 2008 is a real moving target. Just this week alone I have tasted six bottles of the 2008 and found the wine a bit all over the place, especially compared to other wines from the same year. Still, with patience, the 2008 really sings. Ideally, readers should plan on cellaring the 2008 for at least another few years. 95+Pts Antonio Galloni 2009 Barolo Monprivato The 2009 Barolo Monprivato is the deepest of the four Barolos. About a month before bottling Mauro Mascarello added the Ca'd' Morissio cask to the Monprivato, which should have had a positive effect, as it had in the past, but I have yet to see evidence of that here. Antonio Galloni 2010 Barolo Monprivato Mascarello's 2010 Barolo Monprivato shows good depth and volume in the gloss, but the flavors are also a touch forward, which is a bit unusual for the year. Sweet red cherry, raspberry, mint, white pepper and orange peel linger on the delicate finish, all supported by silky, polished tannins. The 2010 is a bit more fully formed than it was a few months ago, but I don't find the pedigree of the best years, and I say that after having had the 1989, 2004 and 2008 in the days leading up to this visit. 89Pts Antonio Galloni 2011 Barolo Monprivato Mauro Mascarello's 2011 Barolo Monprivato is soft, open-knit and surprisingly ready to go today. Dried cherry, anise, crushed flowers, mint and sweet tobacco all find support in a pretty fabric framed by silky, inviting tannins. The 2011 is not a huge Monprivato, but it does offer good balance in a restrained, mid-weight style, even by this wine's historical standards. I have seen Monprivato gain considerable depth and intensity in bottle. It will be interesting to see what happens here. In 2011, Mascarello did not bottle their flagship Riserva Ca'd' Morissio. Instead, all the fruit went into the straight Monprivato. 92Pts Antonio Galloni 2012 Barolo Monprivato The 2012 Barolo Monprivato is an attractive, mid-weight wine. Bright red cherry fruit, orange peel, mint and sweet, exotic spices all lift from the glass. Silky tannins accompany the finish in an airy, lifted, understated Barolo. As attractive as the 2012 Monprivato is, it also tastes more like a top Langhe Nebbiolo rather than a Barolo from one of the region's undisputed grand cru sites. 91Pts Antonio Galloni 2015 Barolo Monprivato Not yet scored 2016 Barolo Monprivato Not yet scored 2017 Barolo Monprivato The 2017 Barolo Monprivato is elegant, classy and nuanced. Crushed red berry fruit, spice and blood orange lend and exotic flair to this silky, mid-weight Barolo. The 2017 loses some of its persistence with air, but it offers tons of immediacy and sheer allure. Best of all, the 2017 will drink well with minimal cellaring. This is one of the better recent vintages of Monprivato the Mascarello family has released. 93Pts Antonio Galloni 2018 Barolo Monprivato The 2018 Barolo Monprivato is gorgeous. Aromatic and gracious, the 2018 is silky, expressive and very nicely balanced. The 2018 is a bit light and ethereal, as Monprivato is these days, but the tannins are impeccably balanced and all the elements are beautifully put together. Crushed red berry fruit, cinnamon, spice, dried flowers and orange peel lend nuance throughout. This is a fine effort in a highly irregular year. 94Pts Antonio Galloni 2019 Barolo Monprivato Not yet scored