Cherry and something earthy on the nose. On the palate, cherry and other red fruit with an herbal note on the long finish, with moderate to strong tannins and good acidity. This was opened along with a bottle of Giuseppe Mascarello's Monprivato from the same year, and this was the better of the two. Given the tannins, this has several good years left, and it may improve. This was an excellent value at about $85 a dozen years ago; at its current price it's not recommended.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep brick red. Still lots of red fruits some roasted notes and flashes of truffle Full bodied with perfectly balanced acidity and lots of mature tannins very long and persistent
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A little medicinal on the nose and still a few years away from maturity with violets, leather and fine ripe fruit together with some sweetness on the finish. My first wine tasted from this famous producer who controlled this hot vintage well and it did not disappoint.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
There's always some trepidation when opening a 2003 Barolo, but I had a very open mind considering the wine in question. I believe this was double decanted in order to make a 2 hour drive to our place without undue damage, then served around 2 hours after that in Riedel Vinum burgundy stems. Brick red in color, nice and clear and with visible weight. I did get a slight roasted character on the nose, but no raisiny notes, which are what I hate in the most in hot vintage nebbiolo. In the mouth this was remarkably restrained, while still demonstrating warmth and some dried aspects. I got the feeling it was being held in a bit, the vinous equivalent of a corset, maybe, and that the warm vintage aspects may come out more as it ages. Right now, though, it is quite accessible, if still primary, and was more than up to the roast goat with fennel and onion that we threw at it, with its herbaceous notes playing very nicely on the slightly gamey meat, and the acid balancing the crispy skin handily.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted beside G. Conterno Barolo Francia of the same vintage with a group of 7. More open, more elegant, with better color than the other, this was the clear favorite on this night. Has entered its drinking window but NR until next bottle. A very good wine from a very difficult vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.
10/15/2023 - RichardP wrote: 93 Points
Cherry and something earthy on the nose. On the palate, cherry and other red fruit with an herbal note on the long finish, with moderate to strong tannins and good acidity. This was opened along with a bottle of Giuseppe Mascarello's Monprivato from the same year, and this was the better of the two. Given the tannins, this has several good years left, and it may improve. This was an excellent value at about $85 a dozen years ago; at its current price it's not recommended.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2022 - The_Cat wrote: 95 Points
Deep brick red. Still lots of red fruits some roasted notes and flashes of truffle Full bodied with perfectly balanced acidity and lots of mature tannins very long and persistent
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/17/2021 - burlingtonm Likes this wine: 92 Points
A little medicinal on the nose and still a few years away from maturity with violets, leather and fine ripe fruit together with some sweetness on the finish. My first wine tasted from this famous producer who controlled this hot vintage well and it did not disappoint.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/2/2020 - NYC_Maenad Likes this wine:
There's always some trepidation when opening a 2003 Barolo, but I had a very open mind considering the wine in question. I believe this was double decanted in order to make a 2 hour drive to our place without undue damage, then served around 2 hours after that in Riedel Vinum burgundy stems. Brick red in color, nice and clear and with visible weight. I did get a slight roasted character on the nose, but no raisiny notes, which are what I hate in the most in hot vintage nebbiolo. In the mouth this was remarkably restrained, while still demonstrating warmth and some dried aspects. I got the feeling it was being held in a bit, the vinous equivalent of a corset, maybe, and that the warm vintage aspects may come out more as it ages. Right now, though, it is quite accessible, if still primary, and was more than up to the roast goat with fennel and onion that we threw at it, with its herbaceous notes playing very nicely on the slightly gamey meat, and the acid balancing the crispy skin handily.
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2020 - Vinomane wrote:
Tasted beside G. Conterno Barolo Francia of the same vintage with a group of 7. More open, more elegant, with better color than the other, this was the clear favorite on this night. Has entered its drinking window but NR until next bottle. A very good wine from a very difficult vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment