Altare's 2010 Barolo Arborina bristles on the palate with striking energy and finesse. Freshly cut flowers, mint, sweet spices, licorice and rose petals all meld together in a layered, impeccable Barolo loaded with class. The flavors are bright, chiseled and beautifully nuanced. The 2010 finishes with marvelous freshness and tons of saline-infused nuances.

Good bright, deep red. Lovely floral lift to the aromas of redcurrant, mocha and nutty oak. Sweet, sappy and intense, conveying a light touch and terrific inner-mouth energy to the redcurrant and cherry flavors. Finishes chewy and very long, with a distinctly saline character and lovely floral lift and verve. This youthfully tight wine has the balance, stuffing and spine for a graceful evolution in bottle.

The 2010 Langhe Arborina is a pure expression of Nebbiolo that opens to beautiful shades of black fruit, tar, licorice, plum and dried blackberry. There’s a noticeable softness to the tannins that drives the wine’s lush, supple finish. It needs a few more years to reach balance. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. 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

Dark crimson. Elegant, high-toned nose. Nicely balanced with lots of fruit and electric energy. Marked acidity and persistence. (JR)