2021 Luciano Sandrone Valmaggiore Nebbiolo d'Alba

Producer: The 2021 Valmaggiore is an exercise in restraint. It offers up pretty, uplifting aromas of red fruits, roses, white pepper and freshly-picked violets. On the palate, red fruits are front and center, framed by tobacco, spice and mineral notes. The tannins are both strong and soft yet give the wine its unmistakable mid-weight structure. The acidity is bracingly fresh, and the finish long and layered, with red fruits, graphite and earth notes lingering.

"The 2021 Nebbiolo d'Alba Valmaggiore is a serious, serious wine that needs time in the cellar to be at its best. It shows the lighter style of Nebbiolo from Roero, but with all the elements dialed up. I especially admire its mid-palate depth and overall resonance. Succulent red cherry, white pepper, cedar, mint and orange peel all take shape in this super-expressive Nebbiolo." 94 Points, Anonio Galloni, Vinous

"The Valmaggiore of Sandrone is a benchmark wine. This vintage, the wine leaps from the glass with aromas of macerated raspberries, tea leaves, sweet and savory spices, rosebud and wild herbs. The structured palate opens with ripe cherries dusted with allspice and clove, then evolves into savory and earthy notes that are all surrounded by fine and firm tannins. Drink now–2040." 92 Points, Wine Enthusiast

"This is flavorful and red-fruited with hints of citrus and hibiscus on offer. Medium-bodied and crunchy with chalky texture and a vivid, mineral finish." 91 Points, James Suckling

"Though leaning to the muscular side, with a solid structure, this also possesses generous cherry and raspberry fruit. Leads with a smooth texture, giving in to dusty tannins on the finish." 90 Points, Wine Spectator

Luciano Sandrone, one of Barolo’s defining figures, began as a teenage vineyard worker, saved enough to buy his first Cannubi parcel in 1977, and made his early wines in his parents’ garage while holding a full-time job. By 1999 he’d moved into his own winery, having spent two decades shaping a style that respects Barolo tradition while embracing careful, thoughtful updates. His wines sit between the region’s traditional and modern camps: generous and approachable when young yet firmly built for aging. Extremely low yields, meticulous vineyard work, and a measured cellar approach—medium-length macerations and mostly used 500-liter tonneaux—give his small-production wines their hallmark precision, balance, and lasting power.