LUCIANO SANDRONE

PIEDMONT, ITALY 2020

Why Buy: 2020 was an exceptional year in Barolo, and we've gone to the definitive Barolo winemaker, Luciano Sandrone, to secure two of the best bottles of the vintage — the 97-point Barolo Aleste and the 96-point Barolo Le Vigne. As with all Sandrone wines, you don't have to wait years and years to drink them. More than just great wines, these are liquid testaments to Sandrone's four-decade journey from a garage in Piedmont to the pinnacle of Italian winemaking.

The Overview: When a winemaker of Luciano Sandrone's caliber opens his cellar doors, that’s more than cause for excitement; that, friends, is an event. With his blessing, we’ve curated a special portfolio for you to showcase the breadth and depth of this Barolo legend's craft. These five bottles amount to a grand and captivating narrative of Piedmontese wine, as told by one its greatest and most lyrical storytellers.

What They're Saying: James Suckling lauded the 2020 Barolo Aleste, in his 97-point paean, as “full-bodied and layered, with lots of juicy and rich fruit … yet … framed with creamy and chewy tannins that give it form and intensity. A very serious and structured 2020." Of the 2020 Barolo Le Vigne, he was nearly as gushing: a "complex and curated” Barolo, he deemed it, in his 96 point review, of "density and depth," with "extremely well-integrated" tannins that "feel melted into the wine."

Our Tasting Notes: The 2020 Barolo Aleste is an epic in a glass, its rich, warm fruit notes giving way to a complex, structured tannic framework that speaks of endurance for the long haul. There's an almost architectural quality to how the wine builds on the palate, each sip revealing new corners of depth and dimension. Le Vigne 2020 is a masterclass in harmony. The blend is a kind of chorus of terroirs, each one bringing its unique voice to a composition that's greater than the sum of its parts. The tannins, indeed, seem to melt into the wine, creating a seamless experience from attack to finish. The Valmaggiore Nebbiolo d'Alba 2022 is a spice merchant's dream, with a palette of aromatic notes that dance above a core of pure Nebbiolo fruit. It's a wine that keeps you coming back, each sip a new discovery. The Dolcetto 2023, even in its youth, shows promise of living up to its predecessor's reputation. It's a joyful expression of the grape, unburdened by wood, allowing the fruit to speak clearly and confidently. In the Barbera d'Alba 2022, we see a stirring testament to the grape's versatility. The oak aging has added depth and complexity without overshadowing the vibrant fruit character that makes Barbera so beloved.

The Bottlings: The 2020 Barolos, Aleste and Le Vigne, represent two sides of the Sandrone coin. Aleste, named for his grandchildren Alessia and Stefano, is a single-cru expression from the prestigious Cannubi hill. Le Vigne, on the other hand, honors the historical Barolo tradition of artful blending from several Nebbiolo vineyards. The Valmaggiore Nebbiolo d'Alba 2022 showcases Sandrone's ability to work with the vintage's characteristics, embracing and tempering the year's spicy notes. The Barbera d'Alba 2022 is a sun-drenched expression of multiple parcels, aged for 15 months predominantly in new wood. The Dolcetto 2023, made without wood contact and using only natural yeasts, continues to evolve from what wine writer Nicolas Belfrage once called "a mouthful of sheer fruit, but with guts."

The Story: Luciano Sandrone's journey began in the 1970s and in the humblest way possible — in his parents’ garage. This creation story, the stuff of romance and adventure, belies the sophistication of his wines today. Now spanning 27 hectares across Langhe and Roero, Azienda Agricola Luciano Sandrone remains steadfastly committed to that original garagiste spirit. He insists on hand-picking all of his grapes, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, and separate vinification by variety and plot. This meticulous attention to detail has earned him the highest plaudits from critics, and the fiercest loyalty from collectors. Sandrone's philosophy is poetic: "We love intense, yet fragrant and harmonic wines, which can converse on equal terms with those who love them, not from a position of dominance." This ethos is evident in every bottle, from his benchmark Barolos to his nuanced Dolcetto.

Fun Fact: Luciano Sandrone renamed his flagship Barolo from "Cannubi Boschis" to "Aleste" as a tribute to his grandchildren, Alessia and Stefano. It's a reminder that, even for a winery that speaks to the world, family remains the vital, beating heart of its operations, and of Italian wine culture.

Our Guarantee: Because pristine provenance is of the utmost importance to us, these wines come directly from the estate. Your bottles will arrive in pristine condition, ready for your cellar — or your glass.