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Sandrone - Barbera D'Alba 2016
Tasting notes
The year 2016 gave us harmonious climatic conditions, resulting in a Barbera that is both elegant and complex. It has an intense purple color with ruby highlights. The aromas are full and forward; first there are scents of ripe red fruits of excellent maturity, with notes of cherries preserved in alcohol, prune plums and jam. These are followed by soft aromas of cacao and spices such as black pepper, which in turn open to reveal ethereal notes of perfectly toasted oak. The palate is dry, warm and full, and the continuing aromatics recall the initial fragrant notes of red berry jam. The bright acidity both frames and focuses the excellent drinkability. Overall this is a young Barbera of good promise. The slight angularity of youth - a result of the exuberance of acid and tannin - portends positive
harmonious development with a few years of cellaring. This wine will pair well with savory, complex dishes, particularly braised red meats.
Evolution of the year 2016
In 2016, the winter was mild and not snowy. The first weeks of the year were very dry. Precipitations, especially rainfall, came only in February. Spring was cool, especially April and May, with numerous rainshowers. May is oftentimes like an early summer here. In Langa they call it “the May furnace”, but in 2016 it didn’t fire up!
The summer was a season of back-and-forth. The first heat came at the end of June, and from then on, a constant backand-forth between short periods of warmth (5 to 7 days) and sudden storms which brought cooler temperatures. At the end of August the rhythm changed. The last part of the month and all of September gave us beautiful days. At a certain point, the typical autumn weather began, characterized by warm days and cool nights, with daytime temperatures often reaching 30 degrees C.
In the vineyards of the Langhe and Roero, the weather of 2016 influenced the vegetative cycles of the vine. The lack of winter cold caused an early budding but after its early start, the vegetative cycle de-accelerated. Flowering and fruit set took place slightly later than average, but occurred evenly, thus positively influencing the productivity of the vintage. The slowing of the vegetative cycle was consistent through the summer, and therefore the veraison began 13-15 days later as compared to 2015. This delay influenced the final phases of maturation and the picking times. Each parcel had to be monitored and harvested individually for maximum quality, contingent on its exposition and slope.
The harvest took place from September 27 until October 8.
The summer was a season of back-and-forth. The first heat came at the end of June, and from then on, a constant backand-forth between short periods of warmth (5 to 7 days) and sudden storms which brought cooler temperatures. At the end of August the rhythm changed. The last part of the month and all of September gave us beautiful days. At a certain point, the typical autumn weather began, characterized by warm days and cool nights, with daytime temperatures often reaching 30 degrees C.
In the vineyards of the Langhe and Roero, the weather of 2016 influenced the vegetative cycles of the vine. The lack of winter cold caused an early budding but after its early start, the vegetative cycle de-accelerated. Flowering and fruit set took place slightly later than average, but occurred evenly, thus positively influencing the productivity of the vintage. The slowing of the vegetative cycle was consistent through the summer, and therefore the veraison began 13-15 days later as compared to 2015. This delay influenced the final phases of maturation and the picking times. Each parcel had to be monitored and harvested individually for maximum quality, contingent on its exposition and slope.
The harvest took place from September 27 until October 8.
Generous vitality
From Monferrato to the Langa.
Originally from the hills of the Monferrato, by the second part of the 19th century Barbera had arrived in the Roero and then the Langa. On these hills Barbera has found its best sites, often in competiton with Nebbiolo, in which well-compacted marl and long sun exposure allows the plants to reach their greatest potential. By this symbiosis Barbera d’Alba came about, fruity and flavorful; another focus for the wineries of the Piedmont.
Originally from the hills of the Monferrato, by the second part of the 19th century Barbera had arrived in the Roero and then the Langa. On these hills Barbera has found its best sites, often in competiton with Nebbiolo, in which well-compacted marl and long sun exposure allows the plants to reach their greatest potential. By this symbiosis Barbera d’Alba came about, fruity and flavorful; another focus for the wineries of the Piedmont.
Technical notes
- Barbera d'Alba DOC
- 100% Barbera
- Spontaneous fermentation from indigenous yeasts
- Maceration and fermentation in open steel tanks
- Malolactic fermentation and ageing in French oak barrels of 500 liters
- Aged in bottle for 9 months before release
- Vineyards in the villages of:
Monforte d’Alba: Cascina Pe Mol
Novello: Ravera and Rocche di S. Nicola
Barolo: Albarella
- Alcohol: 14%
- Recommended drinking time: 2020 – 2030
- 100% Barbera
- Spontaneous fermentation from indigenous yeasts
- Maceration and fermentation in open steel tanks
- Malolactic fermentation and ageing in French oak barrels of 500 liters
- Aged in bottle for 9 months before release
- Vineyards in the villages of:
Monforte d’Alba: Cascina Pe Mol
Novello: Ravera and Rocche di S. Nicola
Barolo: Albarella
- Alcohol: 14%
- Recommended drinking time: 2020 – 2030
Vibrant and Generous
The Sandrone Barbera is produced from the fruit of seven vineyard sites, each of which - with its own soil and microclimate - contributes its unique and particular character to the whole. Each vintage we harvest by hand and vinify each site separately so as to best express all the individual characteristics in the finished wine. From this "assemblaggio" comes our Barbera which then spends 15 months in tonneaux. These casks of 500 liters are of a mix that is predominantly new, so as to better balance the finished wine. The use of these barrels brings harmony between the forward fruit and vibrant
acidity characteristic of Barbera with a rounded tannin that gives balance and ageability.
