2007 Elio Altare, Barolo, Cerretta Vigna Bricco

With the 2007 Barolo Cerretta Altare demonstrates the elegance that can be coaxed from this site in Serralunga. The Cerretta is the only Barolo Altare makes from vineyards outside his hometown of La Morra, but the house style nevertheless comes through in spades. Dark fruit, tar, licorice, smoke and scorched earth are some of the nuances that flow from this muscular, virile Barolo. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032. These days Elio Altare keeps a lower profile than he did a decade ago, when his outspoken views were the subject of so much controversy in the press. Then again, Altare doesn’t really need to say anything at all. His wines have established a track record of virtually unparalleled brilliance that speaks far more eloquently than words alone ever could. Never one to be content, Altare continues to push forward with new experiments. One of the most intriguing wines I tasted during my visit to Piedmont in November 2010 was a Barolo made from 100% hand-destemmed fruit. Nebbiolo is typically said to be produced with no stems. The reality is that Nebbiolo always contains a percentage of stems because the stem material within the bunches themselves is quite fragile, which makes it impossible to remove all of the stems. Unless you work literally berry by berry, 100% entirely by hand from start to finish – which is exactly what Altare and his team did with one of their 2010 Baroli. Tasted from barrel, the wine is extremely interesting for its explosive fruit and round, voluptuous texture. It will be a fascinating Barolo to follow. Turning to wines that will soon be on the market, I have always found Altare’s 2007s superb from barrel. Now that the wines are in bottle they are every bit as profound as my early impressions suggested. These are must-have bottles. Various American importers, including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300, Estate Wines Ltd., San Rafael CA; tel.(415) 492-9411; Robert HoudeWines, Bensenville IL; tel. (630) 422-1119

With the 2007 Barolo Cerretta Altare demonstrates the elegance that can be coaxed from this site in Serralunga. The Cerretta is the only Barolo Altare makes from vineyards outside his hometown of La Morra, but the house style nevertheless comes through in spades. Dark fruit, tar, licorice, smoke and scorched earth are some of the nuances that flow from this muscular, virile Barolo. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032. (Antonio Galloni)

Truffles and blackberries and spices on the nose. This is gorgeous, full body, with velvety tannins and a bright finish. Love the finish. Powerful tannin backbone. This is a new vineyard Cerretta. This will be sold in six years.

(this is the current release of Altare's Barolo from Serralunga, which he holds back an extra two years because "it's undrinkable when young"): Good deep red. Cool, closed nose hints at menthol. Dense, sweet and powerful but still quite primary, with a distinctly high pitch to its black cherry, violet and menthol flavors. Finishes saline, very long and tannic, with impressive medicinal reserve. And much drier on the back end than it is in the middle palate. This wine could hardly be more different from Altare's lusher Barolos from La Morra.

Broad and beefy, sporting dense tannins that leave a firm grip on the cherry, licorice, eucalyptus and tar flavors. Chewy on the long finish. Best from 2018 through 2027. 450 cases made. (BS)