"Unqualified Successes"
2006 Sandrone Barolo
Le Vigne and Cannubi Boschis
"Sandrone's 2006 Barolos are among the unqualified successes of the 2006 harvest." -Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate
Each vintage, we become more and more impressed with the wines of Sandrone.
Few producers are able to weave such purity and energy with such textural elegance... and nobody does it at anything close to this price. Yes, Giacosa's red labels are among the most seductive wines on earth, forget about limiting the discussion to Barolo/Barbaresco, but they also hover around $400 a bottle.
The 2006 Sandrones are among the wines of the vintage - I think it's fair to say that Galloni flipped for them, but read the reviews for yourself, they're below.
Sandrone has always been a very well respected producer in the Piedmont, but in the last 5-10 years they have quite simply moved to the next level. The oak has been dialed back and the transparency and precision dialed up - few Barolos thread the needle so finely, satiny, seductive, curvaceous... yet also finessed, energetic.
Galloni calls Sandrone's 06s "focused, driven" in style. These are beautiful, beautiful wines.
Today we offer the estate's two 2006 Barolos: Le Vigne and Cannubi Boschis. One, the Le Vigne, is a masterpiece of blending, the other, Cannubi Boschis, is one of the Piedmont's most authoritative vineyards. Both are worth having and for those who want to crack them open, side by side on the dinner table, we have provided special two-pack pricing. (The two-pack pricing is also not a bad idea for those looking to cellar the best of the Piedmont.)
It's worth noting that pricing for Sandrone's Barolos does tend to consistently go up; very fair U.S. retailers are selling the 2004 Cannubi Boschis at $200. The 1989 (gulp) is a $500+ proposition at this point. At $245 all-in for a bottle of Le Vigne and Cannubi Boschis, we're happy to highlight the value of buying early.
The Cannubi Boschis is Sandrone's flagship wine: a single, great site in the Barolo commune, known for its synergy of ripeness with freshness. In line with that, Galloni calls the 06 Cannubi "seductive, round and sweet in its ripe, dark fruit..." He ends with an apt mention of "tons of energy and muscle" - requiring patience. The Cannubi's aging potential should be outstanding: two decades in the cellar, plus some.
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The Le Vigne in this vintage should not be overlooked. This is a blend that offers up such a multifaceted complexity that, certainly in 06, it puts the Le Vigne in the same general vicinity as the Cannubi. The quality of this bottling in 2006 is extraordinary. It's a testament to Sandrone's skills as a blender - similar to the great chef de caves of Champagne or, as another example that comes immediately to mind, Chave in Hermitage.
Our Piedmont program has become very selective over the years; Giacosa, Conterno, Giuseppe Mascarello. These are our heroes. Just too many tart or tannic wines use the famous name of Barolo to get on shelves and in cellars... only to disappoint.
Sandrone is earning his place among our holy trinity; in 2006 the wines are not to be missed.
To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits
Le Vigne and Cannubi Boschis
Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate: "Sandrone’s 2006 Barolo Le Vigne possesses awesome balance as intricately woven layers of aromas and flavors come together in the glass. The 2006 is an especially powerful Le Vigne boasting a solid core of floral, red fruits supported by firm yet elegant tannins. This, too, shows the considerable drive and focus that is the hallmark of the vintage. The wine’s overall balance is impeccable. Le Vigne is made from parcels in Vignane (Barolo), Conterni and Ceretta (Monforte) and Merli (Novello). The wines are aged separately for a year in 500-liter barrels. The final blend is assembled, after which the wine spends an additional year in oak prior to being bottled. Sandrone’s 2006 Barolos are among the unqualified successes of the 2006 harvest. The wines show more richness and density than the 2005s, but less exuberance than the 2007s, in a focused, driven style I find quite attractive."
Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate: "The 2006 Barolo Cannubi Boschis is seductive, round and sweet in its ripe dark fruit. The wine continues to gain weight in the glass, showing a level of density that nearly manages to cover the tannins. Floral notes add lift on the finish. This is a powerful, linear Cannubi Boschis with tons of energy and muscle, but it will require quite a bit of patience. Sandrone harvests his three parcels in Cannubi Boschis separately. Vinification takes place in stainless steel. The wines undergo malolactic fermentation and are aged in 500-liter barrels (roughly 20% new) for a year. Once the final blend is assembled, the wine goes back into oak for another year prior to being bottled in the spring. Sandrone is one of the earliest producers to bottle, which he does to preserve as much freshness as possible."