Luciano Sandrone Valmaggiore Nebbiolo d'Alba 2019

Valmaggiore is Sandrone's Nebbiolo d'Alba from a steep sand amphitheatre in the Roero, across the Tanaro from Barolo.

The Valmaggiore bowl at Vezza d'Alba, on the left bank of the river, is the best-known Nebbiolo site in the Roero: a concave amphitheatre of soft, sandy ground on extremely steep slopes that have to be worked by hand through the season. Sand gives Nebbiolo a lighter frame and a finer, more perfumed tannin than the clay-marl soils of the Barolo communes, so wines from here are aromatic and comparatively early to open while keeping the variety's tension. Luciano and Luca Sandrone found the site in the 1990s and made the first Valmaggiore in 1994; the family estate, founded on a plot of Cannubi bought in 1977, has been run day to day by Luciano's daughter Barbara since 1989. Fermentation is spontaneous with indigenous yeasts in open steel tanks, malolactic and ageing follow in 500-litre French oak tonneaux, and the wine spends around nine months in bottle before release.

Approachable young and worth keeping five to eight years, it goes well with roast poultry, veal or a mushroom risotto. Serve at 16-18°C.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.