Ripe, meaty and savory more than fruit driven with a ferrous, mineral, and chalky feel to the darker nebbiolo fruit. Rich, dense, and deep on the palate with outstanding texture. It's more overtly powerful than the Mascarello bottling, but with a little less finesse. Quite long on the back end. I like the little roughness around the edges here. At peak for me. 94
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Rich and dense. A muscular wine and a bit rustic, especially compared to previous experience with Mascarello's 1990 Monrpivato. Iron, medicine cabinet, balsam. This is structured and virile wine. Still early peak.
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Gala Dinner at La Festa del Barolo (Del Posto Restaurant, NYC): [From a magnum brought by Dan Petroski.] Dark rich smoky nose of black fruit. Rich, young, complex in the mouth. Some licorice and herbs on the finish. Could use another 10 years in magnum.
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The nose showed dusty rosy florals, dried strawberry, mineral-stone, tar and dark earth. On the palate, I found feminine, lifted textures with stimulating acidity, coming across as angular, with a stern minerality and crystalline red berry fruits. It finished structured yet energetic, not showing any heat from the vintage. It’s a very classy wine, with more upside potential that most 1990s.
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Much darker and more primal than the 90 Giacosa Villero. This is in color, nose and palate, brooding and dark but showing big potential. Tar iron, roses, and more balsam/ ferrous than the Giacosa. Blind I would not have guessed 1990 in my first several guesses. There is a backwardness and rusticity to this wine from the nose to the finish that I really liked, but I bet this will absolutely sing in another several years to a decade when it fully hits its stride. Hard to believe how primal this is. Tar, iron, and textural roughness that I found appealing if less refined than the Giacosa. Structured and going to be beautiful if not already. 94+pts
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This was decanted off most of its sediment at the restaurant about an hour before drinking. The nose was open for business and showed some tertiary development: dried roses, a little tar, sweet cherry, mint along with some pine/underbrush notes. Clear bricking in the deep garnet colour. Lithe medium-light palate showing sweet cherry, earth, little tobacco/spice. Fine tannins were smooth but gives the impression that this wine still has many more years in reserve. Good acidity and medium to med+ finish. Was a classic, enjoyable Barolo to me and I wish I had more (may have to find some).
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1990: Barolo Retrospective (Paprika Restaurant, 110 St. Marks Place, NYC): The nose showed very closed with hints of red fruit pushing to the fore but little else. On the palate, I found sour cream and red fruits but with a turbulent level of acidity that ultimately left me wondering if this bottle was somehow flawed.
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dinnner with the astor kids: Pretty dark with just a bit of lightening to the edge. For a few hours this exhibited an extreme menthol, pine balsam, insecticide nose that obscured any other notes. Eventually some tar and tobacco notes emerged that were later joined by dusty tree bark. In the mouth the wine is taut and tight with gritty tannins and huge power. This never really opened in stark contrast to the last bottle which evolved into a lush and subtle example. This bottle needs another decade.
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2/4/2023 - kenv Likes this wine: 93 Points
NK Monprivato Vertical (Chez Goldberg, Greenwich Village, NYC): [Double-decanted about 4:30pm.] Lovely and elegant. Doesn't have the power of the Mascarello. More elegant in style. Lovely.
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2/4/2023 - cct wrote: 94 Points
Ripe, meaty and savory more than fruit driven with a ferrous, mineral, and chalky feel to the darker nebbiolo fruit. Rich, dense, and deep on the palate with outstanding texture. It's more overtly powerful than the Mascarello bottling, but with a little less finesse. Quite long on the back end. I like the little roughness around the edges here. At peak for me. 94
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10/21/2017 - cct wrote: 93 Points
Rich and dense. A muscular wine and a bit rustic, especially compared to previous experience with Mascarello's 1990 Monrpivato. Iron, medicine cabinet, balsam. This is structured and virile wine. Still early peak.
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2/3/2017 - kenv Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gala Dinner at La Festa del Barolo (Del Posto Restaurant, NYC): [From a magnum brought by Dan Petroski.] Dark rich smoky nose of black fruit. Rich, young, complex in the mouth. Some licorice and herbs on the finish. Could use another 10 years in magnum.
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12/5/2016 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 93 Points
The nose showed dusty rosy florals, dried strawberry, mineral-stone, tar and dark earth. On the palate, I found feminine, lifted textures with stimulating acidity, coming across as angular, with a stern minerality and crystalline red berry fruits. It finished structured yet energetic, not showing any heat from the vintage. It’s a very classy wine, with more upside potential that most 1990s.
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2/5/2016 - kenv Likes this wine: 94 Points
Gala Dinner at Antonio Galloni's La Festa del Barolo (Four Seasons Restaurant, NYC): [A glass brought over by Amanda M.] Youthful and delicious. Still young and tannic. An excellent bottle of what I think was the last of the Brovia Monprivatos.
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9/19/2015 - cct wrote: 94 Points
Much darker and more primal than the 90 Giacosa Villero. This is in color, nose and palate, brooding and dark but showing big potential. Tar iron, roses, and more balsam/ ferrous than the Giacosa. Blind I would not have guessed 1990 in my first several guesses. There is a backwardness and rusticity to this wine from the nose to the finish that I really liked, but I bet this will absolutely sing in another several years to a decade when it fully hits its stride. Hard to believe how primal this is. Tar, iron, and textural roughness that I found appealing if less refined than the Giacosa. Structured and going to be beautiful if not already. 94+pts
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6/21/2014 - bill00 wrote: flawed
This bottle was affected by a combination of VA and mild oxidation. Feels like there's a great wine underneath but unfortunately not in this bottle.
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10/17/2013 - kultcha Likes this wine:
This was decanted off most of its sediment at the restaurant about an hour before drinking. The nose was open for business and showed some tertiary development: dried roses, a little tar, sweet cherry, mint along with some pine/underbrush notes. Clear bricking in the deep garnet colour. Lithe medium-light palate showing sweet cherry, earth, little tobacco/spice. Fine tannins were smooth but gives the impression that this wine still has many more years in reserve. Good acidity and medium to med+ finish. Was a classic, enjoyable Barolo to me and I wish I had more (may have to find some).
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4/27/2013 - kenv Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gala Dinner at Antonio Galloni's La Festa del Barolo (Del Posto Restaurant, NYC): From magnum. Brovia did great things with this plot the few years they had access to it. Quite young still. Should drink well for 20 more years from magnum, at least. 94-96
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2/16/2011 - Eric Guido wrote: flawed
1990: Barolo Retrospective (Paprika Restaurant, 110 St. Marks Place, NYC): The nose showed very closed with hints of red fruit pushing to the fore but little else. On the palate, I found sour cream and red fruits but with a turbulent level of acidity that ultimately left me wondering if this bottle was somehow flawed.
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2/16/2011 - kenv Likes this wine: 93 Points
1990 Barolo with Eric & Leo's Barolo Group (Paprika Restaurant, 110 St. Marks Place, NYC): [Decanted 6:30. Drunk around 9:30pm.] Big woody nose. Rustic, sour. A very appealing wine, but may have needed a little more air to show all its stuff.
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10/9/2010 - kenv wrote: flawed
1990 Barolo: Modern vs. Traditional (private home): Tight bitter corky
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4/16/2010 - Jossik wrote: flawed
Andato, problemi di tappo sbiancato come molti nebbioli del triennio 88-90 ?
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5/17/2007 - Gregory Dal Piaz wrote: 87 Points
dinnner with the astor kids: Pretty dark with just a bit of lightening to the edge. For a few hours this exhibited an extreme menthol, pine balsam, insecticide nose that obscured any other notes. Eventually some tar and tobacco notes emerged that were later joined by dusty tree bark. In the mouth the wine is taut and tight with gritty tannins and huge power. This never really opened in stark contrast to the last bottle which evolved into a lush and subtle example. This bottle needs another decade.
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