Luciano Sandrone Valmaggiore Nebbiolo d'Alba 2018 Sibi et Paucis (1500ml)

Name: Luciano Sandrone Valmaggiore Nebbiolo d'Alba 2018 Sibi et Paucis (1500ml)
Brand: Luciano Sandrone
SKU: BIB24784-1500
Price: 245.42 AUD
Availability: InStock

$245.42

$233.15 - Save 5% with 6 bottle case

Size:

1 Bottle ($245.42) 6 Bottle Case Save 5%

Product variants

Free Delivery Orders over $250*

Or $9.95 flat fee Australia wide.

Dispatched from our Melbourne store.

About this Wine

The Sandrone family runs an outstanding museum program called Sibi et Paucis. This Latin name translates roughly as “for the few and favoured”. Each year, about 10 to 15% of the production of their Nebbiolo wines (Le Vigne, Aleste and Valmaggiore) is held back in the winery’s underground cellars under optimal aging conditions to provide this producer’s long-term clients with aged-release wines that are closer to maturity.

It was Luciano Sandrone’s dream that one day, all his wines would be released only when they were ready to drink. Currently, the Sibi et Paucis wines are re-released six years after the vintage for Valmaggiore and 10 years after the vintage for the Barolos. It is a wonderful initiative, and each release comes with a stamp on the label to differentiate it from the original release.

Below are the third-party notes pertaining to the re-released wines, i.e. they are all recent tastings and reviews. Having tasted the wines on more than one occasion, we can say categorically that they are all singing. In what was clearly a challenging year, Sandrone’s outstanding 2014 wines were among the highlights of the vintage (as many of our clients will already attest). Many journalists were quick to dismiss the year given the difficulties of the growing season, yet the best estates far outperformed initial expectations. As a winemaker friend of ours once said: “Time cuts out all the bullshit.”

“It’s easy to focus on the great years,” Luciano told us when his 2014s were first released. “But the wines we make from the challenging years bring me the most satisfaction, the ones that make me the proudest.” Only an estate run by a driven perfectionist could reach such heights (the Sandrone family employed 38 people for farming when the average harvest at this time required only 22 pairs of vineyard hands). Waiting for the right moment to harvest, being willing to undertake a strong green harvest, and making a strict selection during the vintage all paid dividends.

Type	Red Wine
Varietal(s)	Nebbiolo
Country	Italy
Region	Piedmont
Appellation	Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC
Brand	Luciano Sandrone
Vintage	2018.0

Wines of Piedmont

In the North-Western corner of Italy, with a backdrop of the visually stunning Alps, Piedmont is a great place to visit for wine tourism. It is also home to some of the most sought-after wines in the country.

Nebbiolo is the region’s most prestigious grape variety, a red variety not seen much in Australia. Wines made from this grape are powerful with remarkably high levels of tannins but a balancing acidity. The Piedmont region offers the grapes with a reliable autumn fog that provides a cooling effect which is particularly beneficial to the growth of Nebbiolo. This pre-harvest fog (“nebbia” in Italian) is actually where the grape’s name comes from. The fog is vital in that it prolongs the time spent on the vine and allows the grapes to achieve full ripeness.

The most famous examples of Nebbiolo come from the appellations (subregions) of Barolo and Barbaresco, known for their ability to age well, firm tannins and distinct smell of tar and roses. Barolo is a big tannic expression of Nebbiolo, while Barbaresco only about 15km away makes a more elegant style. Barolo wines are generally the more expensive of the two and are known to cellar for decades.

By volume however, Barbera is the most planted red grape in Piedmont. This grape makes a juicy, low tannin but high acidity easy-going red. Perhaps somewhat like a lighter style Shiraz.

While there are quite a few white varieties planted in the region, the most notable is Moscato d’Asti, made in a sparkling style in the Asti subregion.

Vintage Vigilant

12,000+ Wines Available

Fully Insured Delivery

Great Customer Service