The 2019 Barolo Arborina is laced with dark cherry, graphite, dried flowers and licorice. It is an especially dark, almost somber Arborina, with huge, incisive tannins that are quite dominant at this stage. It will be interesting to see how the 2019 ages. Based on several decades of tasting these wines, I think it will age quite well, but remain a brooding powerhouse.

The ripe ruby-colored 2019 Barolo Arborina offers a lot of depth, with ripe cherries, meaty texture, and a long finish. I particularly like the freshness of this vintage. This is a remarkable red for lovers of the estate to drink over the next 20 or so years.

With fruit from the Altare family's historic vineyard, with rows that descend from the panoramic terrace in front of the tasting room, comes the 2019 Barolo Arborina. This wine boasts a unique flavor profile with more emphasis on tart fruit, cassis and crisp cherry. The wine is soft and velvety to the palate, and it shows finely integrated tannins coupled with a solid textural frame. Arborina is not one of the historic crus of the appellation, but it is an excellent site that is celebrated for its consistent wines.

Translucent ruby. Perfumed raspberry with lift. Fragrant and long and with a layer of long, fine-ground tannins that go on and on. Elegant but still compact, while the tannins add depth as they cling to the elegant, fragrant fruit. (WS)