Italy · Piedmont

Elio Altare

Elio Altare is among the most consequential figures in the modernization of Barolo, a winemaker whose break with his father in the 1970s — and subsequent study in Burgundy — set him on a path of short maceration, rotary fermenters, and small French oak that defined the Barolo Boys movement. Operating from La Morra, Altare farms around 6 hectares, with holdings in the prized Arborina and Brunate vineyards that produce the estate's most auction-coveted wines. The Barolo from Arborina, appearing prominently in the 328-lot auction history, commands the highest per-lot interest, while the Brunate version's small production makes it the rarest offering in the secondary market. Altare's Barbera d'Alba, a benchmark for the variety in Piedmont, changes hands at a fraction of the Barolo price but demonstrates the estate's across-the-board quality. The Cerretta Vigna Bricco, sourced from a plot in Serralunga, reflects the estate's continued evolution and later vineyard additions. With a portfolio average of $119 per bottle across 328 lots, Altare Barolos represent strong value in the modernist Langhe segment. Vintages from the 1990s — particularly 1996, 1997, and 1999 — attract the strongest bidding, while 2010, 2013, and 2016 sustain renewed interest.