Tasting Notes
The name of the wine may have changed, but Sandrone’s flagship Barolo is still, and will remain 100% Cannubi Boschis, the Barolo vineyard so synonymous with this grower. To be clear, Boschis is a particular terroir or vineyard area within the Cannubi hill. The Boschis subzone sits near the northern end of the hill and is located directly across from the Sandrone cellars. The cru (of which Sandrone farm 1.9 hectares of 37 year old vines), has a particularly good exposure to the south and southeast in a small amphitheatre or “conca” that helps hold warmth in the early morning. Its soils are sea deposits of calcareous clay with some sand and therefore excellent drainage. Highlighting the uniqueness of the wines from this terroir compared to the rest of the Cannubi hill, Alessandro Masnaghetti’s L’Enciclopedia delle Grandi Vigne del Barolo writes, “The wines, in general, have good body, much elegance, and more polished tannins than other Cannubi wines.”
The winemaking for Aleste is a facsimile of the wine above, includes wild yeast fermentation with 20-30% whole bunches, ageing in mostly used 500 litre French oak casks, and bottling without filtration after 24-26 months. This is more tightly wound than the le Vigne above but still offers layers of creamy, ripe plummy fruit, with hints of tobacco and Amaro and a punchy, sappy finish. Really refined, classy, delicious Barolo. - Importer Note
Sandrone is the Barolo producer whose wines most remind us of Burgundy. The suave, seamless texture, fine tannins and depth of flavour of these Barolos makes them some of the most sought-after wines of the region. With age, they are so polished, so pure, so seductive. Sandrone uses 500lt barrels (typically only 10% - 20% new), picks at very low yields and bottles his wines before they lose their freshness or purity. His wines are wonderfully intense and vibrant with ripe, fine tannins. They drink well young and age brilliantly. Like most of the greatest producers he takes the best of the old school and incorporates the best of the new. The wines are bright and beautifully sophisticated which we suppose is up to date, but many of the methods are essentially old school: organic viticulture (is that modern or traditional?), open-top fermentation tanks, elongated skin contact, natural yeast fermentation, no barriques and no additions, bottling without filtration, and so on. Of course what is most important is that irrespective of fashion or style, Luciano Sandrone crafts wines of profound integrity, purity and deep expression. These are wines made with passion and honesty. They provide great drinking pleasure both when young and with bottle age. As a fastidious and naturally talented vigneron, Sandrone's obligation to keep the unique signature of the terroirs alive is vividly captured in the wonderfully intense wines
- Importer Note
| Product Type | Wine Red Nebbiolo |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Piedmont |
| Sub Region | Barolo |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Minimal Intervention |