The 2003 Barolo Riserva Monprivato Ca d’Morissio is a powerful, seamless wine endowed with masses of dark fruit. This is a rather opulent, almost port-like Barolo from Mascarello that captures all of the best qualities of the 2003 harvest while avoiding the hard tannins that plague so many wines. A blast of iron, tar and smoke informs the long, virile finish. This will be a fascinating Barolo to follow over the coming years and decades. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2033. Proprietor Mauro Mascarello makes some of the most compelling, traditional wines in Piedmont. Mascarello’s signature Barolo, Monprivato, rarely shows well when young, yet it has a proven ability to transform magically in the bottle, something I have witnessed first-hand with more vintages than I can remember. The irony is that by the time the wines start showing well they are long gone from the market or have appreciated dramatically in price. Importers: Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY; tel. (914) 244-0404, The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484