Luciano Sandrone Barbera d'Alba 2016 750ml

Wine Advocate #237, Jun 30, 2018 by Monica Larner
Although 2016 was a classic year for Nebbiolo, Luciano Sandrone tells me it was an awkward year for Barbera. That sudden heat you might expect during summer never materialized, and the seasons remained cool and fresh over the entire course of the growing cycle. The 2016 Barbera d'Alba is a slightly more subdued and undertone wine as a result. It shows less fruity exuberance compared to warm years, such as the delicious 2015. Dark fruit is enhanced here by crushed mineral and campfire ash. There is a pleasantly sweet note on the close that covers the grape's spicy acidity.

Azienda Agricola Luciano Sandrone is an Italian wine producer of Piedmont, particularly known for its red wines from the Nebbiolo grape.

The Sandrone estate was founded in 1978, a year after after Luciano Sandrone had bought a small parcel of the Cannubi winery. Initially, wines were made in the garage of his parents' house. A trip to Vinitaly in 1982 allowed Luciano to sell all of his 1978 Barolo to a US distributor, providing the starting point for a long, slow period of growth as additional Cannubi plots and other vineyards were purchased.

In the winery, all fermentations are spontaneous through the use of indigenous yeasts. Grapes are vinified seperately by variety as well as by individual plot to allow for more control in the blending process. Other wines in the collection include a Nebbiolo d'Alba, a Dolcetto d'Alba and a Barbera d'Alba.

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