2001 Elio Altare Barolo Brunate- Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (12/30/2018)
Brought to a terrific Italian restaurant in DC, Centrolina. Decanted 1 hr but oh man, i shudder to think what another 2 to 4 more hrs could have done to the already descriptive aromatics - roses / soy / wild dark cherry, impressive. A real thoroughbred, the core of dark cherry fruit is chisled and leaves an immediate impact. As it slowly uncoils, a streak of refined minerality persists, expansive mouthfeel, effortless to the finish. Powerful yet elegant. Accessible but nothing spoofed or forced. Superb, with another 20 years in store. (95 pts.)
Sounds like a great showing, Dale. Been to Centrolina once, for lunch, it was delightful. My note on Altare’s 1998 from July, this ended up the best wine I had on my whole California trip, out of almost 500 wines tasted
1998 Elio Altare Barolo Brunate
Served with pasta and oxtail, I expected primal and the nose delivers—tar city. Pretty pure asphalt. Raspberry and a lot of smoky follow, dark chocolate also gets infused. But, on the palate—for all its firmness, there’s a lightness of being, a luminosity here that I am beginning to associate with the finest Baroli I have tasted. Wild berry and currant fruit. Young but extremely attractive, huge thanks to Scott for this bring. Served with pasta and oxtail in a light tomato sauce. I poured some of this off to taste over the next 2 days.
Thanks for sharing Mike, it looks like our notes reflect a lot of the same qualities, good stuff for sure. Sadly, looking on WS for any other vintages of the Altare Brunate are meager, though not too surprising as I don’t think very much of it was ever made in a given vintage.
Thanks for the TN. I have a few more in the cellar so appreciate the current TN. This bottle has always been a very pretty, balanced and aromatic wine. Glad it showed so well for you.