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2016 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (11/9/2022)
Monprivato dinner at Osteria Langhe (Chicago, IL): No. 0831. A slightly aldehydic and high-toned nose showing touches of cherry cough syrup. Very much more red-fruited than black. On the palate, this feels a little dilute and doesn't have the same depth of flavour as the older wines. As expected, very tannic as well. Perhaps this is in a bit of an awkward phase. I'd certainly hope for improvement in the future, but perhaps it's the time of day where the broken clock that is Galloni is right? (90 points) -
2009 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (11/9/2022)
Monprivato dinner at Osteria Langhe (Chicago, IL): No. 6559. A very pretty, if slightly ripe, nose showing a distinct hint of strawberry. Bright and pure, with very clean fruit here. Surprisingly light for the ripe vintage, this is quite elegant right now, but the palate does show some angularity from slightly unintegrated tannins. There is a slight raisinated note on the finish that really keeps this from becoming a standout wine. (90 points) -
2007 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (11/9/2022)
Monprivato dinner at Osteria Langhe (Chicago, IL): No. 10625. This is drinking really nicely right now, even if it shows a distinct ripeness. There is a slight bit of heat with the fruit coming off red and candied, but otherwise this is drinking fantastically well with mostly resolved tannins and a generous helping of sweet red fruit. Delicate and perfumed right now, I'm not as confident this has the long-haul potential, but that may well be a function of the ripe vintage. (93 points) -
2006 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (11/9/2022)
Monprivato dinner at Osteria Langhe (Chicago, IL): No. 5785. This was extraordinarily good on the pop and pour with a mind-bogglingly beautiful perfume. Surprisingly more red-fruited than black, even for the vintage, but in the context of the wines tonight this was definitely more on the darker-fruited side. I double-decanted this just an hour or two before dinner and I think the wine became worse for wear because of it; there were nascent oxidative notes by the time this was served. A real disappointment given that this didn't hold up under the double decant. (90 points) -
2004 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (11/9/2022)
Monprivato dinner at Osteria Langhe (Chicago, IL): No. 4474. One of my favourite wines tonight; this is surprisingly drinking very well right now and in some sense, in a fully mature sort of way. The tannins are resolved and silky; there's no rough edges here at all. The fruit is perfumed and again very much red-tinted. Truth be told, I'm a little surprised at how mature this wine is drinking; I had always thought of the 2004 vintage as one for the ages, so they say, but this bottle was amply ready and I'm not as convinced there's so that much more upside in the coming decades. (95 points) -
2003 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (11/9/2022)
Monprivato dinner at Osteria Langhe (Chicago, IL): No. 10294. Drinks in the same vein as the 2007 -- a ripe vintage made in a restrained style. The nose shows plenty of red fruit, but there are more candied elements on the palate than the 2007. Interestingly, no roasted or raisinated notes, but at the same time, this doesn't have the same complexity as most other wines tonight. (90 points) -
2001 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (11/9/2022)
Monprivato dinner at Osteria Langhe (Chicago, IL): No. 816x. For me, the obvious wine of the night (and one of the best Barolos I've had in a long while -- though I'm expecting some fireworks in three days). This is intense, structured, concentrated, old-school Barolo just on the cusp of getting onto the secondary plateau. Powerfully red-fruited with an almost explosive intensity, this really hits the spot. The nose is incredible as well, with its mix of red fruit and florals. An absolutely stunning wine to open right now. (98 points) -
1999 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (11/9/2022)
Monprivato dinner at Osteria Langhe (Chicago, IL): No. 15494. Another splendid, old school, classic Monprivato. In some ways, this is very close to the brilliant 2001, but it is missing some of the brightness and exuberance that its younger sibling has. In addition, the tannic structure here is more firm, making me think that this needs a good amount more time before it really comes around, unlike the 2001 which is drinking so incredibly well tonight. (95 points) -
1998 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (11/9/2022)
Monprivato dinner at Osteria Langhe (Chicago, IL): No. 14341. Likely heat-damaged or some such. Musty/bretty notes of soy here. Better on the palate, but that's not saying very much. (NR/flawed)
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Terrific notes on what sounds like a fun event. I was particularly interested in your note on the 2004, as I have a loan botlle (purchased on release) that I’ve been holding for my father’s 75th birthday this coming summer. Can you share how you prepared the wines for serving?
In general these were opened around lunch time and double decanted for sediment (which actually was an unnecessary step as there wasn’t any sediment) before dinner. I’m not convinced the double decanting did the wines much favour (the 2006 suffered from it, even).
Thanks.
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I had the same experience with the 2001 at a dinner with the 2001s from the biggest names. The Monprivato was stunning.
I don’t know if I can argue it’s a bad thing, but I tend to get a little uneasy when there is no sediment in Barolo / Barbaresco.
Interesting, why is that? We hypothesized that the wines with little sediment were simply just racked from the top…
that’s certainly possible, as is fining/filtering more stridently.
There is something reassuring about sediment in older bottles when opening them, with in my mind more disappointing experiences with bottles that had little or no sediment. Possibly all just in my head though!
I attended a Monprivato dinner back in the spring. The '06 has showed much better than described the times I’ve had it. I’ve found it to be a dark and powerful wine by Monprivato standards, so that sounds similar. A takeaway for me was that the wines from lesser vintages showed very well. The 1995 Monprivato & Ca d’Morissio were some of the stronger wines and the 2005 Monprivato was also one of the more enjoyable wines at this stage. The '07 seemed nice but has not lived up to the hype of that vintage, as is the case nearly across the board with '07 in my opinion.
Personally, my favorite Monprivato is the 2004, because it’s so red fruited, perfumed, and finessed.
I found the '16 Monprivato to be a bit high alcohol and showing it when I tasted it on release. From your note it sounds like you’re maybe getting the same takeaway. From the newer vintages I’ve tasted ('13, '15, '16) I agree with Galloni that the quality level of the wines has taken a sharp turn downwards, but I found the '15 and '16 to be competent, decent wines.
Thanks for the notes! Agree about the excellent '99 and '01. Wish we had more than one bottle left of each.
The '98 has been incredibly inconsistent for us, but not in the musty/bretty way that you describe your bottle. Sometimes sorta flat and boring (all tar and no roses?), and sometimes delightful.
I’ll admit that I’ve stopped buying Monprivato iin the past 10-15 years, influenced by Galloni’s comments as well as price increases. It used to be one of the great bargains in Piedmont.