The 1998 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is still young, especially from magnum, but it is a wine that I am enjoying more of late. It really needed a number of years, although it remains raw and not fully complete just yet. Burly, powerful and tannic, the 1998 reminds me a bit of the 1995 in that it is a Monfortino that still needs bottle age to be at its most expressive.

The 1998 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is a monumental effort. A deep dark red, it opens with a huge nose of licorice, roses and cocoa, then flows onto the palate with masses of sweet, concentrated dark fruit that go on forever. Notes of mineral and leather gradually develop in the glass, adding further complexity as this great wine begins to reveal its expansive and profound personality. The 1998 is unusually open right now. As was the case with the 1997 at this stage, it should offer a brief drinking window over the next 6 months or so before shutting down for what is likely to be an extended period prior to awakening in the glorious prime of its life. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2023. AG