Today, Luciano Sandrone is one of Barolo’s most admired names, a fact made all the more remarkable given his Estate’s humble beginnings. As Kerin O’Keefe writes in Barolo and Barbaresco, Sandrone is one of “the few producers who does not hail from generations of growers and winemakers.” Sandrone’s father was a carpenter, but instead of following in his father’s footsteps, Luciano chose a life in wine, first at Giacomo Borgogno and then at Marchesi de Barolo, where he rose to become cellar master, a role he would hold until 1990.

In 1978 Sandrone achieved his ambition, buying a small plot in the then little-known Barolo Cru of Cannubi Boschis. Made in his parent’s garage overlooking the Cannubi hill, Sandrone tentatively took his inaugural Barolo to Vinitay in 1981, where he sold every one of the 1500 bottles to an American broker. It quickly became one of Piemonte’s first cult wines, first with the 1982 and 1985 vintages, and by the time the 1990 Cannubi received a perfect score from Robert Parker, the dye was cast.

“Sandrone is now a historic estate, but the wines keep getting better and more finessed, a testament to the drive for perfection that runs through every aspect of this exemplary winery...” Antonio Galloni

Since the early ’90s, Luciano worked alongside his brother Luca, daughter Barbara and, increasingly, his grandchildren Alessia and Stefano. Driven by the family’s clarity of vision, the Estate has since expanded to over 27 hectares. One of the things least discussed about this celebrated producer and Barolo, in general, is the quality of their work in the vineyards. Sandrone is genuinely one of the regional leaders in this area. Firstly, they are organic in a region where organic practice is still infrequent. Secondly, Luca Sandrone is a perfectionist (like his niece Barbara) and is completely obsessed with the vines he manages. His focus is very much on making the vines stronger, healthier and more resilient rather than the symptomatic approach that is so typical. A great deal of the vineyard work is done by hand, with the Estate employing twelve full-time workers in the vines alone. Luca and Luciano openly reference Burgundy in their approach and seek to harvest only perfectly ripe and immaculate fruit. This is one of the keys to the purity and flesh of the wines.

Another little-known fact is that 30-50% of the fruit is fermented as whole bunches, with the destemmed portion of the fruit also having a very high percentage of whole berries. Luciano Sandrone remembers well that once upon a time, all the region’s wines were made without destemming. The maturation occurs in large format oak, 500 litres and beyond, and only a small percentage of this oak is new (10% across the winery). The work in the cellar is minimal, with only wild yeast fermentation and no filtration. The macerations are managed very carefully, and the bottling occurs relatively early as Luciano Sandrone wants to capture the most refined tannins and as much fruit purity as possible, another key to understanding the wines produced here.

Of course, like all great growers, the primary key is the vineyards themselves. There is no doubt that Sandrone works with a spectacular range of Barolo vineyards. Yes, there is the legendary Cannubi Boschis (today bottled under the Aleste label), but there are also great Barolo sites in Monforte, Serralunga, Castiglione Falletto, Novello and more in the Barolo township itself that all contribute to the outstanding Le Vigne cuvée. Little wonder this wine now comfortably rivals (and some would argue in specific years eclipses) the Aleste for quality.

“No one has done a better job of bridging the traditional and modern style than Sandrone, especially in recent years. The Sandrone Barolos are made in a style that emphasizes fruit and intensity. In that sense, they are the equivalents to growers such as Claude Dugat or Leroy in Burgundy.” Antonio Galloni, Vinous

Tasting at Sandrone is like an endless degustation at your favourite restaurant, where every dish is unique, yet just as delicious as the next! There are no entry-level wines at this address, more a series of benchmarks with their own distinctive personality and style. I don’t think that Luciano Sandrone will mind Galloni comparing his wines, (stylistically or otherwise) with those of Claude Dugat or Leroy. Luciano is a lover of Burgundy and is very open about the influence this region has had on his viticulture (organic and perfectionist) and winemaking (where the aim is purity and ripe tannins). After his first ‘win’ at Vinitaly in 1982, he jumped in his car and drove over the Alps to Burgundy. By his own admission, Sandrone absorbed an awful lot from this, and subsequent visits to the great vineyards of the Côte d’Or. Given the class and expression of Sandrone’s wines today, we’re pretty sure Mr. Dugat and Mme. Bize-Leroy would be similarly flattered by the stylistic comparison!

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 wonderful 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 these wonderfully intense wines.

The Sandrone family also runs an outstanding museum program they call Sibi et Paucis (the name is Latin and translates roughly as: ‘for the few and favoured’). Each year, about 10 to 15% of the production of their Nebbiolo wines (the two Barolos and the Valmaggiore) is held back in the winery’s underground cellars under optimal aging conditions to provide this producer’s long-term clients with aged-release wines that are closer to maturity.

Luciano Sandrone dreams that one day all his wines will be released only when they are ready to drink. Currently, the Sibi et Paucis wines start being re-released six years after the vintage for the Valmaggiore and for the Barolos, 10 years after the vintage. It is a wonderful initiative that we, of course, welcome. Each release comes with a stamp on the label to differentiate it from the original release.