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Sandrone - Valmaggiore label

Sandrone - Valmaggiore 2016

Red Wine

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Item# 83065-16

All hand-made

Our Valmaggiore is an amphitheater facing the south, with full exposure to the sun. Here, nature is rich and vigorous. The ground is soft and sandy, the slopes extremely steep. Already in the planting of the vineyard, the respect for nature and traditions were strategic. This respect is present every day: we cultivate by hand, row by row, from bud break to when we harvest the ripest grapes; we make our vineyard a laboratory for healthy and well-cultivated fruit.

An Heroic Interpretation of Nebbiolo

The amphitheater.
In the Roero zone, in the town of Vezza d'Alba, on the left bank of the river Tanaro, the concave Valmaggiore hill is one of the best historic examples of origin and quality. Already in the nineteenth century, the Nebbiolo grapes grown in this vineyard were so highly regarded that they dictated the price for the entire territory. In the 1990s, the first sight of Valmaggiore was like a bolt of lightning for Luciano and Luca: they fell in love at first sight. This was not only for the history and the long viticultural tradition, but also for the particular uniqueness of those sandy soils combined with the microclimate.

Evolution of the vintage 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 back-and-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 in the first 10 days of October.

Technical notes

- 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: 2018 – 2030

The Nebbiolo in Roero

In Roero, a significant historic agricultural richness has been preserved, and not only in viticulture. Here, Nebbiolo is distinguished for its finesse and elegance and we, like those in the past who were also proud and certain, wish that our Valmaggiore wine expresses all the grace and refinement of Nebbiolo.
In any case, this wine evolves beautifully with time. We know that only with years of slow and silent evolution does Nebbiolo reveal its best character. Thus, our Valmaggiore Nebbiolo d'Alba is part of the „sibi et paucis“ project.