LUCIANO SANDRONE Barolo 'Aleste' - Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2013 Bottle

Description

In a cool and classic vintage such as 2013, one would expect a wine of power, austerity and verticality, and while the 2013 Aleste delivers these, there is also a generosity and balance to the wine that is very surprising in the context of the vintage.

The nose, while open and generous and full of red cherry and strawberry fruit and flowers, also shows balsamic notes that indicate its growing maturity and complexity.

On the palate, the wine shows great lift and expansiveness, with cinnamon, Darmasin plum and black cherry, all framed by the excellent acidity from this cool, classic vintage.

The finish has long, developed tannins that linger. The mouthfeel is one of lift and expansiveness, deep and long.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 97 points
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
Drink Date: 2019 - 2040
Formerly known as Barolo Cannubi Boschis (the last vintage by that name was 2012), the 2013 Barolo Aleste has been renamed to honor the youngest generation of the Sandrone family, Alessia and Stefano. The wine name Aleste takes the first three letters from each grandchild's name. The move represents the culmination of more than 50 harvests completed by this legendary winemaker and his desire to pass on the torch. His grandchildren are at different points in their respective viticulture and enology university studies. Now under a different name, the wine obviously shows the same delicate floral nuances that you get with this wine (fruit from Cannubi is always harvested first). This is a complete and exciting wine with delicate notes of wild berry and smoke backed by licorice and blue flower.

DECANTER 96 points
Tasted by: Michaela Morris (at Castello di Barolo, 15 Jul 2017)
Drinking Window: 2020 - 2037
As of 2013, Sandrone's iconic Cannubi Boschis bottling has been rebranded with the fantasy moniker Aleste, which fuses the names of Luciano's grandchildren Alessia and Stefano. The grapes still hail exclusively from the Cannubi Boschis cru, aged for 24 months in French tonneaux, less than 20% new. It is already open and appealing, with well-defined aromas of sweet spice, cedar, black raspberry and rose. The palate shows earthy restraint and balance, with a promising future.

JAMES SUCKLING 95 points
Extremely perfumed with blackberry and chocolate aromas. Hints of mushrooms. Full body, soft and velvety tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Shows wonderful potential. This replaces their Cannubi Boschis bottling. Better in 2020.