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2016 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne

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Latest Sale Price

September 1, 2024 - $245

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RATINGS

100The Wine Advocate

This intersection of various vineyards spanning the appellation creates a pyramid of perfection and beauty...fruit weight is balanced against the vivid cherry, spice, aniseed and campfire ash that gently lift from the bouquet.

98+ Vinous / IWC

...brilliant and explosive in the glass, with tons of brightness, energy and tension...mix of freshly cut and dried flowers, mint and pine add an intriguing upper register...finely chiseled and sculpted from start to finish. Bright saline notes add a closing kick of freshness.

98Wine Enthusiast

Fragrant, full bodied and boasting great finesse...opens with enticing aromas of woodland berry, rose, camphor, botanical herb and exotic spice while the elegantly structured palate doles out juicy red cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice and cinnamon. Firm, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity keep it impeccably balanced.

97James Suckling

...nose is overflowing with fruit, with everything from strawberry compote to raspberry tea to chutney and boysenberry spread...marvelous intensity and concentration to the palate, which is full-bodied and very long...tannins have a grainy, grippy feel and the rose-petal undertones sing out on the finish...

95Wine Spectator

Pretty cherry, strawberry and floral aromas and flavors are shaded by underbrush, iron and tobacco notes in this chewy red...wall of tannins puts a strong grip on the finish...

18Jancis Robinson

...notes of iron and beautiful depth of fruit and super-elegant oak. Lots of finesse. Serious, beautifully grafted, long tannins that never dominate the juicy fruit. Nervy acidity and plenty of fresh fruit on the finish.

PRODUCER

Luciano Sandrone

Luciano Sandrone winery was founded in 1978 when Luciano Sandrone bought a small vineyard in Italy’s Piedmont region. He began making wine in his parents’ garage, and by 1982 his Barolos were being distributed throughout Europe. Today the estate includes 67 acres of vineyards and it is run by Luciano with the help of his younger brother Luca and his daughter Barbara. The estate makes several highly regarded Barolos, as well as Nebbiolo, Barbera, and a red table wine. Luciano Sandrone is admired not only for his well-rated wines but his history of blending the best of modern and traditional winemaking. Gambero Rosso, Italy’s leading wine journal, notes that “the winery is an example of how to combine elegance, efficiency and respect for the environment.”

REGION

Italy, Piedmont, Barolo

Barolo is one of Italy’s greatest wine appellations. In fact many cognoscenti of Italian wines consider Barolo to be the apex of Italian winemaking. Barolo is sometimes referred to as “the king of wines, and the wine of kings” partly because until the mid-19th century Piedmont was owned by the noble House of Savoy, the historic rulers of northwestern Italy. And the Savoys had a taste for Nebbiolo. Nestled into the rolling hills of Langhe, the Barolo DOCG includes 11 communes, one of which is the town of Barolo. There are 4,200 vineyard acres in the appellation and since the late 19th century growers have tried to identify their best vineyards. By marketing some vineyards as better quality than others, Barolo producers have followed the Burgundian custom of making single vineyard, or “cru” vineyard bottlings. As in neighboring Barbaresco, the Barolo DOCG requires that wines be 100% Nebbiolo, a grape thought of as the Pinot Noir of Italy. Records show that Nebbiolo was grown in the Piedmont as early as the 14th century, and despite being somewhat finicky – it is late to ripen and easily damaged by adverse weather --- Nebbiolo makes highly aromatic and powerful red wines. Until the mid-19th century Nebbiolos of Piedmont were vinified as sweet wines, though that ended in the late 19th century when a French oenologist was invited to Piedmont to show producers how to make dry reds. Barolo was made a DOC in 1966 and upgraded to DOCG status in 1980. Barolos must be aged at least three years, at least two of those years in wood. Barolos are tannic and robust and generally need at least five years to soften into complex, earthy wines.

TYPE

Red Wine, Nebbiolo, D.O.C.G.

This red grape is most often associated with Piedmont, where it becomes DOCG Barolo and Barbaresco, among others. Its name comes from Italian for “fog,” which descends over the region at harvest. The fruit also gains a foggy white veil when mature.