 About Barolo:
Wine & Winemaking
General Barolo Region and Heritage
The Romans established Alba in the first century a.D.
The area of the Barolo has been under cultivation since that time, and the earliest written mention of Nebbiolo is from the 14th century. Vines were always interplanted with fruit and nut trees, and the valley floors were used for vegetable and grain crops.
The Romans established Alba in the first century a.D.
The area of the Barolo has been under cultivation since that time, and the earliest written mention of Nebbiolo is from the 14th century. Vines were always interplanted with fruit and nut trees, and the valley floors were used for vegetable and grain crops.
The area was economically depressed from the fall of the Roman Empire until fairly recently, and many people here were essentially subsistence farmers. Grapes (and the resulting wine) were another crop among many. The Barolo we know and enjoy today had its birth in the second half of the 19th century.
At that time, the Marquise Tancredi Falletti and the Count Cavour, looking for help to improve the dismal state of winemaking in the region, respectively hired the famed oenologists Staglieno, an Italian, and Oudart, from Bordeaux. They identified Nebbiolo as the local grape best suited to making “noble” wines and helped develop the methods and hygiene regimen necessary to make completely dry, complex wines. (Previously, the Barbera grape was thought to be superior, as it ripened earlier, was more productive, and had more color and higher sugar levels at harvest than Nebbiolo. Up to that time, many Nebbiolo wines were made sweet, much like Brachetto.)
These experts demonstrated how Nebbiolo could be grown and vinified to make better, ageworthy wines, and since that time “Barolo” has been used to identify these wines. The DOCG for the area was granted in 1980 and specifies that wines labeled “Barolo” must come from within the delineated zone, be made of 100% Nebbiolo, show varietal typicity, contain at least 12% alcohol (chaptalization is prohibited), be aged for at least 2 years in cask and may be released for sale the fourth calendar year after the harvest.
Geology/Morphology
The Langhe reportedly gets its names from the long and sinuous hills that look like tongues, “lingua” in Italian, which became “Langhe” with time. In the Barolo, the main hills run north-south, and the best vineyard sites are in the south-facing pockets of these hills or on the small ridges that extend fin-like off the main hill.
The Langhe reportedly gets its names from the long and sinuous hills that look like tongues, “lingua” in Italian, which became “Langhe” with time. In the Barolo, the main hills run north-south, and the best vineyard sites are in the south-facing pockets of these hills or on the small ridges that extend fin-like off the main hill.
These sites provide perfect southwest-south-southeast exposure, often in small bowls, called conca (conch). The underlying geology is of marine deposits, with fine clay deposits from shallow seabeds in the Barolo and sandy beach deposits in the Roero. In both places the roots of the vines go deep for water and nutrients. The poor soil, combined with good vineyard management and good exposure, will stress the vines to give optimum fruit for wine.
Similarity to Burgundy
The best vineyard sites are small, discontinuous and are often owned by several different individuals and/or entities. As such, the area most resembles Burgundy in the pattern of its vineyards – the best vineyards are fragmented, on the middle of the slopes, and the confusing array of owners makes choosing a wine difficult for consumers.
The best vineyard sites are small, discontinuous and are often owned by several different individuals and/or entities. As such, the area most resembles Burgundy in the pattern of its vineyards – the best vineyards are fragmented, on the middle of the slopes, and the confusing array of owners makes choosing a wine difficult for consumers.
Like Burgundy, it is very easy to get burned here, and a consumer needs to know more than just a good vineyard site and vintage – the producer is of prime importance. Furthermore, in the minds of most local producers, Nebbiolo is closest to Pinot Noir in the resulting wine’s structure and the plant’s sensitivity to its site, and the overall difficulty to grow. Most Barolo (and Barbaresco) producers look to Burgundy for their models.
Traditional/Modern winemaking
Much has been made of the changes in Piedmontese winemaking over the last 30 years. Beginning in the late 1970s, young winemakers started adopting techniques to lessen the severity of the tannins of Barolo and Barbaresco; in essence, to make a wine that could be enjoyed earlier in its life, one that did not require 25 years of patience for the tannins to soften.
Much has been made of the changes in Piedmontese winemaking over the last 30 years. Beginning in the late 1970s, young winemakers started adopting techniques to lessen the severity of the tannins of Barolo and Barbaresco; in essence, to make a wine that could be enjoyed earlier in its life, one that did not require 25 years of patience for the tannins to soften. As Luciano was coming of age as a winemaker in these times, he could pick and choose which new techniques to adopt and which old traditions to maintain.
Though he has been labeled as a member of the “modernists” by portions of the world’s wine press, his methods and philosophy hew toward a middle ground. Luciano realized that the new methods – rotofermentors, short macerations, new French barriques – would make more approachable wine, but something of the uniqueness of Barolo was lost.
In his immaculate modern winery, he makes clean and polished wines using essentially old methods: open-top vertical fermentation tanks, moderately long macerations, larger casks, and throughout the process a gentle handling and respect for the fruit that is the hallmark of artisanal production.
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The Vineyards
 The estate farms 27 hectares of vines, of which 75% are owned and the rest under long-term contract. Sandrone buys no grapes farmed by others! This approach insures the consistent excellence of the fruit from vintage to vintage.
The Brothers
 Luciano and Luca work together brilliantly. Though they are 20 years apart in age, they share the bond of brotherhood, and each understands implicitly the needs of the winery and how to help each other succeed.
Vineyards in Serralunga
 The Baudana vineyard in Serralunga was purchased in early 2011 for use in the "Le Vigne" bottling. The upper part is planted with exceptional 25 year old vines and will be used in the Le Vigne Barolo immediately. The lower section was be completely renovated in 2011.
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