2015 Luciano Sandrone "Le Vigne" Barolo

Tasted at the estate alongside the 2021, the 2015 Barolo Le Vigne boasts a reflective red color and is an introspective, deep vintage with notes of ripe cherries, polished leather, sweet tobacco, and stony earth. It offers relatively full-bodied richness on the palate, with a refined and broad-shouldered feel, and a mouthwatering, dark mineral note on the finish.

Luciano Sandrone expected this would be a beautiful year for Nebbiolo, with fruit showing the qualities of an important wine all throughout the growing season and right up to harvest. And yes, the 2015 Barolo le Vigne did turn out to be a great vintage, with a full aromatic array of perfumed rose, lavender and violet. For all of its generosity and expressiveness, with just a beautiful bouquet that sings out a seductive mezzo-soprano aria, be forewarned that in the mouth this is followed by rigidity and nervousness. That explosive bouquet might mislead you into thinking this is a rather evolved wine, but you certainly feel its youth on the palate. To be frank, this was an easy year to make wine, and it's not a big surprise that this edition of le Vigne turned out to be as classic and as good as it is. It should get even better with time. (ML) 95+