Elio Altare is now one of the finest winegrowers in Piedmont. But things have not always been straightforward. This Burgundy-lover and visionary wanted to modernise the old Barolo wines, but this brought him into conflict with his father, who disinherited him. Undaunted, Elio Altare managed to buy back his father's domaine and now, with his daughter Silvia, produces pesticide and chemical-free wines vinified with indigenous yeasts, in la Morra, a town in the Barolo region. His wines are strikingly elegant and extraordinarily silky smooth, both literally and figuratively. They are also stunningly fresh. This is a truly great domaine.

Elio Altare's Barolo cuvée is produced from Nebbiolo grapes grown in La Morra - the most prestigious of Barolo parcels, with its marly limestone-clay soil. Its wines are matured for 24 months in new French oak barrels. The wine is fresh, dominated by ripe fruit and plum, with notes of aromatic herbs. Elegance is the watchword in the mouth, with spicy, balsamic, very slightly mentholated notes which make this an absolutely sublime Barolo.