Elio Altare - Barolo DOCG - 2019

Elegant and highly regarded Barolo from Elio Altare

Clear ruby ​​red wine with garnet reflections. In the nose elegant hints of red fruit, strawberry, raspberry, violets, vanilla, balsamic and pepper. In the mouth the wine is warm, elegant, with a seductive acidity, soft round tannins and a long lasting aftertaste.

The grapes of this basic Barolo from Elio Altare come from various vineyards located in La Morra, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d'Alba and Barolo. The vineyards were planted in the 90s and early 2000s.

The grapes are harvested by hand in September/October. A careful selection is made for quality. After this, the grapes are gently pressed. Fermentation takes place with the skins in large steel vats, the must of which is regularly pumped around. The wine matures for 24 months in used French barriques. After this, the wine is bottled and remains in the bottle for at least another 12 months for further refinement.

About Elio Altare:
The winery is located in the village of Annunziata, which is part of La Morra. The company is currently managed by Elio Altare's daughter Silvia. In total, the company has 11 hectares of vineyards in all sub-regions of the Barolo DOCG. Among connoisseurs, Elio Altare's Barolos are known for their complexity, finesse and exceptional expression of the terroir.

94+/100 points Robert Parker

The 2019 Barolo is a beautiful new release from Elio Altare. Silvia Altare (Elio's daughter) tells me, "The 2019 vintage was easy to make, resulting in wines that are rich, fat and powerful. The 2018 vintage was lean and 2017 was hot, but 2019 is classic." This wine sees fruit sourced from across three villages of Barolo (some estate-owned and some leased), and winemaking was straightforward, with short maceration times and few rackings, Silvia says. The results are vinous and fruit-forward with plump cherry and blackberry over a textured, full-bodied approach. The wine needs a few more years of bottle age.

93/100 points James Suckling

Lovely perfume to this with flowers, cherries, and orange peel. Medium-bodied with firm and fine tannins. Pretty length. Bright at the end. Drink after 2026 but already so attractive.