Elio Altare
About Elio Altare
Few producers in any region on Earth can lay claim to having had such an impact on the style of wine in the area as Elio Altare. A founding member of the “Barolo Boys” group, made world-famous by the documentary of the same name, the renown and esteem in which Barolo is rightly held around the globe is due in no small part to this man and his friends.
A distant memory for numerous oenophiles, some may remember the standing and style of Barolo in the 1970s as drastically removed from its current status as the “King of Italian Wine”. An unknown quantity outside of its home region, Barolo was an austere, rustic and often flawed wine destined to be hidden in dark cellars for decades before its cork could even be approached. There were, of course, legendary wines from this period, but they were by all accounts few and far between, and thanks to rather blasé approaches in both the vineyard and towards winery conditions as much down to luck as skill.
This paints a bleak picture for the emerging generation of ambitious, energetic and highly talented young winemakers in the region, greeted by the prospect of inheriting family estates comprised of overgrown vineyards, ramshackle wineries and wines which couldn’t be drunk for 20 years! Change was in the air, and following a series of trips by these youthful vignerons to the legendary Domaines and vineyards of Burgundy, a rigorous approach to vineyard management and an unrelenting pursuit of winemaking perfection came home to Barolo.
| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Piedmont | 2 | 95 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£384.29 |
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Vinous (95)The 2012 La Villa, a blend of 60% Larigi Barbera and 40% Arborina Nebbiolo, is superb. Wonderfully alive and nuanced, the 2012 races across the palate with beautifully layered fruit and fabulous overall balance. Dark red cherry, plum, spice and new leather notes meld together in the glass. As is typically the case, the Barbera gives richness and mid-palate, while the Nebbiolo is mostly felt in the wine's aromatics and structure. |
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Piedmont | 2 | - |
Inc. VAT
£403.49 |
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Piedmont | 1 | 97 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£93.85 |
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Vinous (97)Altare's 2010 Langhe Larigi (Barbera) stands out for its exceptional textural finesse and elegance. Small red berries, flowers and mint are all woven together beautifully in the glass. The 2010 was aged in 100% new barrels, but there is absolutely not a hint of oak, and the fruit is incredibly pure and vivid. The 2010 isn't one of the biggest Larigis to emerge from this cellar, but it is certainly one of the most polished. Altare elevates Barbera to an entirely new level with a fabulous Larigi that bears more than a passing resemblance to the Burgundies that are so adored at this small, family-run domaine. |
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Piedmont | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£385.49 |
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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Piedmont | 2 | 95 (VN) |
In Bond
£301.00 |
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Vinous (95)The 2012 La Villa, a blend of 60% Larigi Barbera and 40% Arborina Nebbiolo, is superb. Wonderfully alive and nuanced, the 2012 races across the palate with beautifully layered fruit and fabulous overall balance. Dark red cherry, plum, spice and new leather notes meld together in the glass. As is typically the case, the Barbera gives richness and mid-palate, while the Nebbiolo is mostly felt in the wine's aromatics and structure. |
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Piedmont | 2 | - |
In Bond
£317.00 |
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Piedmont | 1 | 97 (VN) |
In Bond
£75.00 |
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Vinous (97)Altare's 2010 Langhe Larigi (Barbera) stands out for its exceptional textural finesse and elegance. Small red berries, flowers and mint are all woven together beautifully in the glass. The 2010 was aged in 100% new barrels, but there is absolutely not a hint of oak, and the fruit is incredibly pure and vivid. The 2010 isn't one of the biggest Larigis to emerge from this cellar, but it is certainly one of the most polished. Altare elevates Barbera to an entirely new level with a fabulous Larigi that bears more than a passing resemblance to the Burgundies that are so adored at this small, family-run domaine. |
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Piedmont | 1 | - |
In Bond
£302.00 |
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