Barolo Aleste (was Cannubi Boschis), Luciano Sandrone 2017

The 2017 Barolo Aleste is a dark, ample wine. Dark cherry, plum, new leather, spice and licorice bring out darker tones of Nebbiolo. All the natural power of these parcels come through effortlessly. Best of all, the 2017 will drink well with minimal cellaring. 2025-2037

The 2017 Sandrone Barolo Aleste, made from grapes from the Cannubi Boschis vineyard, is a deep color with a bluer tone than many 2017s and looks more youthful. It has a slight lifted, violet, perfumed note and gentle, smoky, spice. On the palate, it has a round, muscular, forceful style yet with an amazingly gentle texture and great charm and finesse. There is a touch of dryness to the finish which is a fingerprint of the 2017 vintage, yet this wine seamlessly flows across the palate with great harmony. These are such pleasurable wines to drink. Perhaps wait two years for the wine to open even more but it is deliciously approachable already.

Barolo. The grapes, which come from Cannubi Boschis, were harvested in a single day at the beginning of October. 'Normally we harvest in stages, for example we have an old vine parcel that is old as well as younger vines, which have different ripening times, so normally we harvest this parcel two or three times. In 2017 we saw a certain homogeneity, so we were able to harvest in one go.' Two months on the skins and aged in tonneaux, of which 20% were new. Lustrous mid ruby. Still a little compact but already showing great depth of fruit with hints of fresh mint, iron and oatmeal. Gorgeous juicy, full, red fruit with a rich layer of powdery tannins. Still a little embryonic, but sensationally balanced for this challenging year. 2022-2036