Sandrone Luciano : Le Vigne 2021

Tasting Notes and Serving Tips for Sandrone Luciano’s Le Vigne 2021

Tasting

Color

Remarkably intense, it displays a deep ruby hue.

Nose

Deeply fragrant, the nose unveils aromas of black fruits, accompanied by floral, mineral and spicy notes. Upon opening, the bouquet expresses tones of fresh red fruits, crushed flowers, blood orange, mint and kirsch, with a delicate spicy touch.

Palate

On the palate, the wine is profoundly aromatic and remarkably elegant. It unfolds flavors of red and black fruits, lifted by mineral notes, rose petals, subtle oak and spices. Its impressive structure reveals layers of soft, fine-grained tannins—extremely precise and well-built—offering great length while retaining lightness and elegance despite its power.

Food and wine pairings

This Barolo is an ideal match for braised red meats, game in sauce, dishes featuring Alba white truffles, or aged cheeses such as Parmesan or Pecorino.

Serving and cellaring

Le Vigne 2021 is best served at 16°C. This wine will begin to show beautifully from around 2031 and can be enjoyed through approximately 2055.

A Piedmont Barolo Combining Power and Elegance

The estate

Founded in 1978 by Luciano Sandrone, former cellar master at Marchesi di Barolo, Sandrone Luciano now spans 27 hectares between Barolo, Serralunga, Castiglione Falletto, Novello and Valmaggiore. Since Luciano’s passing in 2024, this Piedmont estate has been run by his daughter Barbara, his brother Luca (oenologist), his wife Mariuccia, and his grandchildren Alessia and Stefano. From 1985 onward, Sandrone Luciano established itself as a global benchmark for Barolo thanks to its Cannubi Boschis cuvée. The estate cultivates three native grape varieties—nebbiolo, barbera and dolcetto.

The vineyard

Le Vigne comes from a rigorous selection of parcels located in the finest terroirs of Barolo. The grapes come from Vignane in Barolo (bringing aromatic purity), Merli in Novello (for full, generous fruit), Baudana in Serralunga d'Alba since 2010 (contributing power), Villero in Castiglione Falletto since 2011 (for precision) and Le Coste di Monforte in Monforte d'Alba since 2019. This mosaic of terroirs allows the full complexity and richness of nebbiolo in the appellation to be expressed.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage began with a snowy winter, followed by an April frost episode that caused only limited damage. August proved hot and dry, leading to water stress in the vineyards. Fortunately, beneficial rains in mid-September enabled the grapes to reach optimal ripeness. This vintage is characterized by generous, broad and rich wines, with slightly lower acidity than in classic years. The smaller berries delivered an excellent juice-to-skin ratio.

Winemaking and aging

Le Vigne 2021 was harvested from October 7 to 19. Winemaking is carried out through spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, followed by maceration and fermentation in open-top stainless-steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation and aging take place in 500-liter French oak barrels for 24 months. The wine is then refined in bottle for 18 months before release. This cuvée is part of the “sibi et paucis” project, whose first vintage was produced in 1990.

Grape variety

100% nebbiolo