A mix of cherry, plum, herb, underbrush and spice flavors are backed by dense, muscular tannins. Bright and tense, with mouthcoating grip on the finish. Best from 2019 through 2035. 110 cases made.??–BS??Region: Italy / Piedmont / Barolo Select to Add

Sadly, the 2011 Barolo Brunate represents the last time this wine will be released. The Altare family lost its lease on this historic vineyard. In fact, this is the only year Altare will release a full range of wines including those being phased out and those being newly introduced. Elegance and grace are the main themes here, but you also get a pretty embroidery of violets, toasted almond and balsam herb. Elio and Silvia Altare tell me they are heartbroken to see this important part of their portfolio disappear. We all are.

The 2010 Barolo Brunate is only made for export markets (it is not sold in Italy) and 2011 will be the last vintage of this wine since Elio Altare lost the lease on this parcel (that was compensated by a new wine from the Cannubi cru with a 2011 vintage that will be released in 2015). The cru shows its characteristic concentration, power and definition of tannins. Pretty oak nuances still need to integrate against the solid fabric of the wine. Dark fruit is followed by chocolate and exotic spice. The mouthfeel is very long lasting and can be counted in long minutes. That lasting impression is also supported by the firmness of the tannins. This is another wine that needs time to evolve. Drink: 2017-2035. Various American importers, including: Michael Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300; Estate Wines, San Rafael, CA; tel. (415) 492-9411

The 2009 Barolo Brunate immediately catapults you into a realm of elegance and finesse that reaches the divine. The 2011 vintage will be the last edition of this wine because Altare lost his lease in this celebrated vineyard. Instead, he will start producing a Cannubi expression to be released in two years’ time. The Brunate is generous in fruit and texture from the outset. The wine grabs your attention thanks to the thick layers of dark fruit, spice, leather and tar that run through it. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035. 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

The 2008 Barolo Brunate emerges from the glass with a vivid, kaleidoscopic bouquet redolent of pine, sage, spices, new leather and licorice. There is gorgeous detail and nuance in the glass. The 2008 is a refined Brunate that shows the pedigree of this great site in its intensity. The tannins are a little firm, but that is quite typical of Brunate. I especially like the way the wine fleshes out on the finish, which also is a great sign of things to come. The complexity and nuance are things of sheer beauty. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2033. 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