2010 Elio Altare Barolo Cerretta Vigna Bricco

Maturing mid ruby with narrow orange rim. Earthy, almost a little nutty on the nose with hints of fruit cake and oak. Supple, concentrated and with finely chiselled tannins, becoming really powerful on the finish. Very tactile and long and precise. (WS)

The 2010 Barolo Vigna Bricco Cerretta will hit the market in 2016 because Altare treats this as if it were a Riserva. Fruit is from Serralunga d’Alba, am I’m not sure if the words “Vigna” will appear on the final label given the disciplinary changes that limit producers to using the name of a single vineyard on their bottles. It’s hard to beat the profound generosity and opulence of this wine with that unmistakable touch of silky elegance. This is wine of enormous presence and poise. Drink: 2018-2038.

Not surprisingly, the 2010 Barolo Vigna Bricco Cerretta is the most closed of these 2010s from Altare. Today the fruit and Serralunga tannin dominate, while the aromas and flavors are still opening up. Firm Serralunga tannins support a powerful, incisive finish full of mineral and ferrous notes to match the wine's broad shoulders. Cerretta is a vineyard with a number of different exposures, something I didn't fully appreciate until this year. Altare's plot sits right next to Ceretto's Prapò, so it is not surprising both wines share certain elements of Serralunga darkness and virility.