Nebbiolo d'Alba Valmaggiore, Luciano Sandrone

The 2020 Nebbiolo d'Alba Valmaggiore is gorgeous. Crushed red berry, spice, leather, mint and rose petal all grace this exquisite, silky Valmaggiore. The aromatics alone are so beguiling, but all the elements are so nicely balanced. The 2020 is compelling today, but will be even better in another few years. - Antonio Galloni

The Luciano Sandrone 2018 Nebbiolo d'Alba Valmaggiore shows a very fruity, fresh and accessible side of the Nebbiolo grape. This wine is open-knit and inviting with a steady succession of aromas that range from red cherry and plum to rosemary sprig and crushed mineral. On some level, you could call it Barolo Lite, although that does not do justice to the Valmaggiore vineyard in Roero that outperforms year after year. The wine is Barolo-adjacent for sure, but it offers its own bright and distinct personality. It's an exciting, new generation of Nebbiolo. - Monica Larner

With scorching heat and little rain overall, there was reason for worry during the 2017 growing season at large, but in the Roero zone by the banks of the Tanaro river, the hilly Valmaggiore vineyards received more rain than other parts of Piedmont, so these grapes did not suffer as much. Lovely notes of red rose and some herbal tones appear on the nose of the 2017 Nebbiolo d'Alba Valmaggiore, coupled with balsam, spice and rosemary. It's voluminous in the mouth, and while the Le Vigne Barolo tends to be the most floral and delicately ethereal of Sandrone's release, this bouquet is distinctive in its own way. It would be a nice pair with a mushroom risotto. - Monica Larner

The 2017 Nebbiolo d'Alba Valmaggiore is bright, fruity and absolutely delicious. The warm vintage seems to have given the Valmaggiore an extra kick of mid-palate sweetness, which is not a bad thing for a wine that can at times be a bit lean. Sweet red berry fruit and floral notes are nicely pushed forward. The 2017 will benefit from a few years in bottle, which will allow the aromatics to develop, but it is impeccable in its balance and super-classy, even in the early going. - Antonio Galloni

The 2016 Nebbiolo d'Alba Valmaggiore is superb. In most vintages, the Valmaggiore is gracious to the point of being somewhat ethereal, but the 2016 is endowed with tremendous depth and a level of textural resonance I have never seen in this wine before. Expressive and layered, with tons of Nebbiolo character, the 2016 Valmaggiore is a total knock-out. Don't miss it! - Antonio Galloni

The Valmaggiore vineyard in Roero hill on the left bank of the Tanaro river has been pumping out some really impressive fruit lately. The 2015 Nebbiolo d'Alba Valmaggiore is a prime example of this site-specific excellence. Nebbiolo from Valmaggiore tends to reveals floral intensity and that's what you pick up here. The bouquet is laced with many small details that keep your attention and form a greater web of nuance and complexity. Violets, wild berries, campfire ash and licorice root are part of this winning formula. The mouthfeel is consistently linear and tight. The Sandrone family first came to Valmaggiore in 1990. It took them several years to buy up the 28 individual parcels that form the three-hectare holding farmed today. - Monica Larner

The Valmaggiore vineyard in Roero hill on the left bank of the Tanaro river has been pumping out some really impressive fruit lately. The 2015 Nebbiolo d'Alba Valmaggiore is a prime example of this site-specific excellence. Nebbiolo from Valmaggiore tends to reveals floral intensity and that's what you pick up here. The bouquet is laced with many small details that keep your attention and form a greater web of nuance and complexity. Violets, wild berries, campfire ash and licorice root are part of this winning formula. The mouthfeel is consistently linear and tight. The Sandrone family first came to Valmaggiore in 1990. It took them several years to buy up the 28 individual parcels that form the three-hectare holding farmed today. - Monica Larner

The 2013 Nebbiolo d'Alba Valmaggiore delivers many unexpected surprises. There is nothing standardized or predictable here. Instead, this fresh Nebbiolo is teaming with energy and verve that peels back with menthol layers, herbs, licorice and wild berry. Blue flowers and moist earth fill in the rear. One year of tonneaux has imparted accents of cinnamon and dark spice. Drink 2015-2022 - Monica Larner

The 2013 Nebbiolo d'Alba Valmaggiore is lifted, precise and beautifully delineated, all signatures of the year. Crushed flowers, sweet red berries, mint and rose petals are some of the many scents that lift from the glass. Weightless and gracious, the 2013 impresses with its exceptional balance and overall harmony. It will be interesting to see if the 2013 gains volume with time in glass. - Antonio Galloni