The 2006 Barbera d’Alba offers attractive dark cherries and plums on a medium-bodied frame. Drink this fresh, pleasing wine over the next year or two. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2009. Elio Altare’s wines represent the finest of the artisanal tradition, so it can hardly be surprising that he has once again produced some of the vintage’s most compelling Barolos. In fact, with his 2003 Barolos Altare shows just how far ahead of the pack he is. Now that he is officially “retired,” Altare is even more philosophical than in the past. “At the end of the day 50% of what makes a wine great is luck,” says Altare, in his characteristic self-deprecating style. If that is the case Altare must surely be one of the luckiest growers on the planet. “This is my 40th harvest, yet each vintage has a unique story to tell, which is what makes wine so fascinating. In 2003 we did four Nebbiolo harvests from the 7th to the 28th of September. The earlier harvests gave us some freshness while the later harvests provided more richness and body.” Altare’s 2004s are potentially profound, and his cellar also holds some of the finest 2005 Barolos I have tasted so far. Unfortunately Altare’s Barolo vineyards suffered extensive hail damage in 2006. A Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers, including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300, Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700, and Estate Wines, Ltd., San Rafael, CA; tel. (415) 492-9411