Luciano Sandrone

Luciano Sandrone strives for perfection with an innovative spirit and an air of Old World gentility that makes him one of the most admired and amiable producers of Barolo. He was the cellarmaster at the historic house of Marchesi di Barolo in 1977 when he bought his first vineyard, a parcel of the vaunted Cannubi site known as Boschis. Between 1978 and 1984, Luciano issued that wine as simply Barolo, but with the great 1985 vintage he started to call is Cannubi Boschis. The name has since become a legend in Barolo, as Luciano Sandrone has become one of Italy’s most praised winemakers. In the late 1980’s Luciano left his first job and went independent, working with his brother Luca, a vine specialist, and aided by his daughter Barbara. Gradually they acquired more plots and built spacious modern cellars on the edge of Barolo, enabling them to move from the original cramped quarters near the center of town and expand production to about 80,000 bottles a year. Luciano, as a leader of the new school of winemaking in Barolo, aims fro rapid extraction of components that heighten the color, structure, bouquet, and flavor of wines rounded out in small barrels of French oak to give them a decidedly contemporary style. Sandrone’s Barolo Le Vigne, from plots at Barolo and Monforte d’Alba, can be just as impressive in some years. From 8 hectares of vineyards, they also make outstandingly rich and ripe Barbera d’Alba and Dolcetto d’Alba. They acquire grapes from the Roero hills to the north and make the admirable Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC Valmaggiore.