When I was first getting into wine about 10 years ago, I watched the movie Somm2: Into the Bottle, and really liked it. Upon rewatching, it’s a bit eye-rolly and full of abrasive egos, but it made an impression on me at the time. The portion about the transition to modern production methods in Barolo stuck with me for some reason. I remember one of the talking heads in the movie opening up a 1985 Elio Altare Barolo and saying something like, “drinking this wine, you can’t help but think of Elio and his father”.
So I couldn’t help but bid on a bottle when it came up on WineBid last year. I finally popped the cork and enjoyed it with some homemade egg pasta with shaved summer truffle and beef tenderloin. I was nervous about decanting this too long, but just like traditionally made Nebbiolo with age, this has really blossomed with air. It’s now 7+ hours since decanting and it’s just getting better and better. Still not mind blowing, but very enjoyable and cool to try.
My CT note:
Very interesting to try this wine made right at the inflection point of traditional to modern production methods. I know modern Barolo isn’t considered as cool as the traditional stuff, but it can have its merits, and this wine is no exception.
It’s a little past peak with a bit more leather than I’d prefer, but it’s in overall decently good shape. A nice healthy ruby core, aromas of classic Nebbiolo: dark sticky tar and perfumed dried rose petals. There is some nice red cherry fruit in there as well, though not as prominent as the earth and florals.
I think the more modern production methods become evident in the mouth more so than the nose. The structure is softer, tannins less aggressive, acid a bit lower, than your traditionally made stuff. But this is no slouch, and several hours in the decanter really freshens and firms the wine up, leading to a beautiful coherent whole that is in no way falling apart. I thoroughly enjoyed this. Best after 7+ hrs in the decanter so don’t be scared to give this air.
I recall Altare being highly recommended in the early '90s and haven’t seen one mentioned or in a shop in years. The few I tried were impressively woody if my memory is right. There was a lot of debate over whether the wood would outlast the fruit in those wines. It seems your sample says “maybe”.
Were these Marco de Grazia selections? Modernists were his specialty in that era.
Yes, Altare was part of the De Grazia crew, most of whom were near each other in La Morra or Castiglione.
1985 was pretty early in the modernist movement, though. The high water point was in the mid-90s, so I don’t know how Altare’s wines would have been made in '85, and I don’t have any good references at hand.
Thank you for the note Noah, what a fun bottle to experience!
Though I haven’t bought Altare since the 2011 vintage, I have enjoyed the 01’s, 04’s and the 11’s with the 01 Brunate remains a highwater mark. The 04 might get there someday.
This post seems to indicate the transition was not immediate, but happening right around mid 80s. I guess the Arborina was made pretty old-school in 1985, though not sure about my bottle, which I believe is the Normale.
The saran wrap is my trademark! I think the 1985 might have been the last not fully barrique aged barolo from Altare, but I don’t recall the specifics. By then Elio had introduced Arte as the modern flagship for the portfolio The 1982 was definitely traditionally made. I did keep magnums of both the 82 and 85 vintages, which I am looking forward to trying someday!
Isn’t Arte from Domenico Clerico? That was a modernist wine and I drank through a case of it as a “see how it develops” test back in the '90s. The last bottle still had more wood that fruit showing but it almost was in balance for my tastes.
