2009 Arte

(90% nebbiolo and 10% barbera; spent 18 months in new barriques ): Good dark red. Aromas of redcurrant, black raspberry, tobacco, mocha and violet. Fat and sweet on entry, then minerally and backward in the middle, with surprising acidity giving this elegant wine a serious mien. Some sexy oak tones sweeten the wine's powerful tannins. Densely packed and built to age. Clerico stopped putting cabernet sauvignon in his Arte blend with vintage 2006, which incidentally showed very well in September, offering a beguiling combination of mellowness, elegance and grip.