VERY LIMITED
 
98 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
 
The Luciano Sandrone 2016 Barolo Aleste is a very special wine for several reasons. First, we get that exceedingly smooth and seamless quality that we saw in many of the other new releases in this portfolio. This trait sums up the house style. Second, this vintage delivers impeccable intensity that transcends the various fruit, spice, earthy and ethereal components of the bouquet. That equal intensity spread across all parts of the wine is what creates those beautiful transitions. The wine is layered and rich in terms of mouthfeel with a long, fruit and spice-driven finish. The tannins are tucked in at the back, surrounded amply by the wine's textural richness and fruit weight.
98 Points Vinous
The 2016 Barolo Aleste is ample, creamy and expansive in feel. But more than that, the 2016 stands out for its freshness, persistence and brilliance. In so many vintages, the Aleste (formerly known as Cannubi Boschis) has been rich and powerful in feel, but in 2016, the wine is all about finesse. The red-fruited, floral purity of Nebbiolo comes through beautifully here; I especially admire the wine's translucence. Wow.
97 Points Wine Spectator
A core of ripe, sweet cherry lurks beneath the iron, tar, eucalyptus and tobacco flavors in this firmly structured red, which shows freshness. This has both finesse and power, with a tight matrix of tannins and a long finish.
97 Points Wine Enthusiast
Dark berry, exotic spice, blue-flower and menthol aromas take shape on this fragrant red. Full bodied and loaded with finesse, the firm palate doles out juicy morello cherry, raspberry compote, licorice and hints of French oak alongside firm fine-grained tannins.
Winemaker Notes
The hot vegetative cycle of 2017 gave the Aleste Barolo a long, fruity and dense structure. There are the typical aromas of sweet red cherry and raspberry, with a touch of oak and complex balsamic notes. On the palate, the wine fills the mouth, full and rich, ample, heady at the front, then structured at the center and finish. The red fruit flavors are deep and rich, as is typical for the site in a warmer year, then followed by a well-structured mid palate with racy tannins that will need 4-6 years of bottle age to soften. The fruit impression is balanced by long and mineral finish with fine-grained tannins. Recommended drinking window: 2024 – 2044.