Luciano Sandrone Le Vigne 2018

The wine in this vintage

2018 in the Langhe was a vintage with a fresh, aromatic profile: a very wet spring, a warm but measured summer and an even harvest gave elegant Nebbiolo with clear fruit and softer tannins, approachable earlier than other years. Barolo Le Vigne 2018 is fragrant and juicy, with cherry, strawberry, rose petals, citrus, pepper and a delicate forest-floor note. The palate is harmonious and medium-bodied, with good freshness and a clean finish. Jancis Robinson rated it 17/20. It is a Barolo that is already approachable and pleasurable, yet it can be kept for several more years and will continue to evolve gracefully.

The producer · Azienda Agricola Luciano Sandrone

Luciano Sandrone's story is that of a grower who built one of the most respected names in the Langhe from scratch. After years as a cellar hand for other wineries, he bought a first small plot in the Cannubi Boschis cru in 1977 and the following year vinified his first Barolo with the simplest of means and a very clear idea of style. From that nucleus the estate grew carefully, joined by his brother Luca and daughter Barbara, who now carry his vision forward. The Sandrone style has been influential: precisely vinified Nebbiolo, aged in tonneaux and medium-sized casks, combining the transparency and depth of classic Barolo with clear-cut fruit and consistently polished tannins. The signature wines are Aleste, the Barolo from Cannubi Boschis, and Le Vigne, a blend of several vineyards across different communes of the appellation. Through its Sibi et Paucis project the estate also holds back part of each vintage, releasing it after years of further ageing in its cellars.

Critics' scores

• 17/20 Jancis Robinson

Technical details

Producer

Azienda Agricola Luciano Sandrone

Region

Piemonte

Country

Italia

Type

Rosso

Vintage

2018

When to drink

Hold, still evolving

Sizes

75 cl, Magnum 150 cl, Case of 6 × 75 cl

eWibe code

0050118