2014 Elio Altare Barolo

Finally dipping my toe into the Barolo world.

I am a sucker for a tale. Encouraged by this thread I started reading about the region. Early in O’Keefe’s Barolo and Barbaresco she describes a young Elio Altare, frustrated with his father using old, dirty botti to make the wine, took a chainsaw to them. A moment in history that changed Piedmont and its wine forever (among other things). It is a great story and worth the read.

Linking stories like that has always been important for me, so when I spotted an Altare Barolo on the sale list I could not think of a better way to get started.

It didn’t turn out how I planned, the cork had bled and the wine was either oxidised or heat damaged, a watery mess.

Shame.

On a positive note, the supplier has agreed to replace the bottle, with sincere apologies and no questions asked.