Elio Altare La Villa Vino da Tavola 2003
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Robert
Parker
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Colour: very intense ruby red
Taste: fresh red fruits, well balanced tannins and with a pleasant acidity due to the barbera
Nose: intense aromas of plums and berries
Serving suggestion: red meats, soft to medium aged cheese, pasta with rich sauce
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2003 Langhe La Villa—Dark ruby. The 2003 La Villa, blend of equal parts Nebbiolo and Barbera, is a study in contrasts, given that the vintage produced such different results for the two varietals. The wine shows plenty of the attractive plummy dark fruit, licorice and tar notes of barrel-aged Barbera, but unfortunately the wine’s overall balance is dominated by the Nebbiolo, with its hard tannins and more prominent alcoholic quality. As good as La Villa can be, I usually find myself headed straight to the cellar to open a bottle of Altare’s Barolo or Barbera Larigi
Grandfather Giuseppe Altare purchased the farm and winery in 1948, and our family practiced the typical Piemontese mixed agriculture up until the mid-1970s. Besides winegrapes, the family grew pears. apples, hazelnuts, wheat, and corn. 1971 was the last year in which we worked the land with oxen; after that we gradually acquired tractors and other farm machinery.
Those were not easy times, given the economic crisis that lasted for years. Elio, along with other friends, decided to learn about winemaking beyond the borders of Piemonte and try to grab some of the success that those regions were enjoying. Their first trip to Burgundy, in January 1976, was a revelation, and Elio began experimenting with methods outside of the traditional ones in Piemonte
After a brief period working with his father Giovanni, Elio, at the age of 26 years decided to change direction and to give a different interpretation to the family's wine, favouring elegance, finesse, and balance. He began a strict regimen in the vineyard and adopted new vinification techniques in the cantina in order to highlight the grape variety and the territory in which it was grown.
The winery at this point is a family operation, with the invaluable help of Elio's wife, Lucia, and daughters Silvia and Elena. Together, they continue Elio's tireless effort, experimentation, and research.
Today the family works 10 hectares, of which five are rented. They have adopted techniques aimed at respecting nature. The principle objective is that of limiting the use of chemical substances, both in the vineyard and in the cellar. The wines are not subjected to filtering or fining, so that they keep all of the material and character extracted during maceration
Attracting the most glory, prestige and fame to the Piedmont region, Nebbiolo in all of its expressions—Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, Ghemme and Gattinara—creates a complex wine, truly unique for its delicate qualities combined with strength and a great potential to improve over time.
But Nebbiolo isn’t all there is to red wine from Piedmont! Barbera is the most planted variety and historically most popular as a dependable, food-friendly, everyday wine.
Beyond these two, a surprising number of red varieties call Piedmont their home. Worth a try include Dolcetto for its bold concentration and aromas of spice cake. Other grapes to investigate include Freisa, Croatina, Brachetto, Grignolino and Pelaverga.