The 2009 Langhe Arborina (Nebbiolo) jumps from the glass with freshly cut flowers, red berries and mint. This energetic, impeccable wine boasts incredible class and sheer elegance. It is a gorgeous wine full of energy and polish. Here, too, it is evident Nebbiolo did better than Barbera in 2009. The oak needs time to settle and the overtness of the fruit needs to melt away a bit before the 2009 enters its early peak of maturity. This is a great showing from Altare. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2029. This is a stellar set of wines from Elio Altare. The 2008 Nebbioli were brought in between October 7 and 10, which is a bit late for this estate. The 2008s have a Pinot-like sweetness that is incredibly appealing. Experiments with a fully destemmed Barolo continue. It will be interesting to see how those wines develop over the coming years, but so far the results are intriguing, to say the least. The biggest piece of news, however, is a new lease on a parcel of Cannubi, of which there are now five barrels resting in the cellar with vintage 2011. The new addition will console Altare fans over the loss of the Barolo Brunate, which will no longer be made, as Altare lost access to that fruit after the 2011 harvest. Various American importers, including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300; Estate Wines Ltd., San Rafael, CA; tel.(415) 492-9411; Robert Houde Wines, Elk Grove Village, IL; tel. (847) 430-3887

The 2009 Barolo Arborina demonstrates a pretty floral quality with pressed rose and spots of lavender oil. Expressive and beautifully intense, the wine is crafted to show the delicate and more feminine side to the Altare portfolio. Silky and fine, the mouthfeel is streamlined and crisp. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2032. Elio Altare is never a man to mince words. He tells the rags-to-riches story of Barolo with conviction, passion and firsthand knowledge. La Morra went from having a handful of farmers (five or six) back in the early 1970s to dozens of estates today. Back then, grape growers were considered so low in social rank, many could not find local women to marry. They imported wives from poorer regions of southern Italy, like Calabria and Basilicata, to live in the Langhe. “C’era la fame qui,” he says. (“We were starving.”) From his panoramic porch overlooking the Frazione Annunziata section of La Morra, he sighs, “Just look at us now.” He tells the story of his first trip to France: “It blew my mind that producers in Burgundy were buying Porsches and yachts with just a few hectares of vine while we were dirt poor.” Highly influenced by that trip (his use of French barrique for aging Nebbiolo is a prime example), Altare returned to Italy and vowed to shake things up. He most certainly did. Various American importers, including: Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300; Estate Wines, San Rafael, CA; tel. (415) 492-9411

Good bright, full red. Lovely perfume of primary red fruits and rose petal. Juicy, penetrating and tight; not a generous or easy style of 2009 Barolo but sharply focused, subtle and aromatic, with lovely minty lift for the year. The long finish shows a serious tannic spine. This will require a good six to eight years of patience and will almost certainly merit a higher score as it approaches maturity.

Empty bottle 595 g. (Wine decanted before remembering to weigh the bottle!) Evolved, shaded ruby with a little bit of very fine sediment. Cool, evolved customer on the nose. Relatively rich, ripe perfume for a Barolo. Fine, powdery dry tannins still lingering on the finish and excellent chiselled fruit and acidity. Light bitterness on the end and a tad more earthbound than ethereal. (JR)