Nicolas Belfrage: Medium-deep going on deep. Pronounced woodsmoke on the nose, together with plenty of quality fruit; likewise on the palate, finishes medium-long, sweet morello cherry playing its part. Drink from 2016. 89

Bruno Besa: Garnet to orange rim. Mature nose, with black and red fruits, leather, mint, rosewater, and road tar. Rich, mature palate, with layered, refined tannins and a long, complex finish. Hefty Barolo with great aging potential. 92

Andrew Jefford: Deep dark red-black. Warm, complex, secondary, elegant, and refined: a very rounded and very satisfying aromatic profile. Big, buglework: juicy, vigorous, masculine, muscular, and powerful. Actually it is more primary than the aromas suggested, but this absolutely to the credit of the wine concerned, which is terrifically vital and youthful and cellar-seeking. Once the flavors catch up with the maturity the aromas are already sketching out, this will be a sensational bottle of Monforte. A wine of magnificent constitution. 94