93 Pts Antonio Galloni - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"The 2003 Barolo Monprivato is made in an atypically big, powerful style loaded with ripe fruit supported by plenty of structure. It boasts an enticing palate presence and a uniquely intense personality. The classic Monprivato notes of ripe cherries, roses, minerals, flowers and herbs are present, but they don't have the clarity and precision of the finest vintages. In 2003 Mascarello was more severe than normal in his green harvesting of the vineyard as he wanted to lighten the load on his plants to reduce their stress. He was also helped considerably by the compact, moisture-retentive soils. Readers who prefer more classically-styled versions of Monprivato may want to revisit the 1999 and 2001 although Mascarello told me he prefers the 2003 to the 2001. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2023." -93 points- Antonio Galloni- Wine Advocate

"Medium red. Quite closed on the nose a month after the bottling, hinting at strawberry, mocha and musky underbrush. Then big, rich and expansive in the mouth, with a distinctly fatter texture than the 2004 if less complexity. A broad, dry wine that's huge for a Barolo from this address. Intriguing fungal nuance. Finishes with a perfumed character, but ultimately less high-pitched than usual for this superb bottling, with a narrower range of aromas. " -91 points- Stephen Tanzer- International Wine Cellar

"The Mauro Mascarello family MONPRIVATO vineyard is located in the village of Castiglione Falletto, and is a classic prime medium-hillside site stretching over six hectares (15 acres) at 280 metres above sea level, in the heart of the Barolo wine-growing area. It is historic vineyard, as is confirmed by old land registry archives dating back to 1666."

"Harvested around the middle of October. Estate-grown bunches thinned during the summer undergo traditional-style, floating cap fermentation for 20/25 days. The wine is then matured in medium-sized Slavonian oak barrels for around 38 months. The color is garnet red with orange-coloured highlights. The nose is complex, very fruity, elegant, intense, spicy, with flowery sensations. On the palate, this wine has excellent body with power and stuffing, demanding, masculine, long and full. Aging potentional: 15/25 years." -Winery

See the reviews on Cellar Tracker here: http://www.cellartracker.com//wine.asp?iWine=424804