- Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC
- Nebbiolo 100%
- Spontaneous fermentation from indigenous yeasts
- Maceration and fermentation in open steel tanks
- Malolactic fermentation and ageing in French Oak tonneaux of 500 liters
- Aged in bottle for 9 months before release
- First vintage: 1994
- Vineyard in the village of Vezza d'Alba: Valmaggiore
- Alcohol: 13,5%
- Recommended drinking time: 2027 - 2037
VALMAGGIORE Nebbiolo d’Alba 2023
Tasting notes
Deep garnet color, very typical of the Valmaggiore bottlings. Roses, red cherries and spiced blood orange with red grapefruit peel dominate the aromas. On the palate, lots of spicy red cherries and floral notes, with good length and very fresh acidity. The ripe tannins give a good medium-bodied structure, and the wine is light on its feet. The finish shows length with mineral and earthy notes under the fruit and freshness. A few years of patience will be amply rewarded.
Ratings for the vintage 2023
Evolution of the vintage 2023
The 2023 winter was cool and dry, with only a few precipitation events. As spring began, the dry weather continued thru the bud break, but in May significant rain fell over the course of the month, allowing the ground to soak up the moisture without much runoff or waste. This allowed the vegetative development a more typical course over the next few months.
The summer, from June onwards, was characterized by alternating events of great heat followed by intense storms and cooler periods. This complicated the vineyard work tremendously, as the team struggled to care for the plants thru the extremes of weather. The end of July and August brought back the high heat and extreme dryness which continued thru the middle of September. We performed significantly less of green harvest in 2023, which helped result in wines of lower alcohol than would be expected in such a hot vintage. After years of accumulated experience, the vineyards team led by Luca knows how to manage each vineyard for maximum quality.
In Valmaggiore, the hail event of early July was less damaging than many other parts of the Roero and we were very fortunate to have few losses. Coming well before the veraison, it caused the damaged berries to simply dry up on the vine.
For the Sandrone Valmaggiore vineyard, protected in its steep shell-like amphitheater, the hail acted as a kind of natural pruning. Careful work after the hail to remove damaged leaves, shoots and individual berries encouraged new growth, and we saw new shoots and leaves sprouting within 7 days, which helped bring the full maturation of the remaining fruit.
As is typical for the Sandrone team, careful selection of the fruit during picking was of utmost importance. Clean, healthy fruit is of the utmost importance to ensure the high quality of the Sandrone bottlings.
The harvest took place from September 25th until October 4th.