Ratings & Tasting Notes:
94 points Wine & Spirits
Review Date: 12/2018
Aleste, formerly labeled as Cannubi Boschis and still sourced from that cru, is surprisingly expressive for a young Barolo. The 2014 vintage was notoriously rainy through the summer, but careful vineyard management and a run of warm, sunny days in September allowed the grapes to ripen fully, giving a medium-bodied wine with deep flavors of cherry and plum laced with notes of menthol, rosemary and warm spice. The silky tannins weave through the wine like fine mesh, allowing the fruit full expression. There’s lots of complexity here, but it’s also a wine that you can enjoy without having to figure out why you should like it.
94 points Wine Spectator
Review Date: 03/2019
The cherry and strawberry aromas are tinged by hay and tobacco notes. On the palate, the core of fruit is joined by a chorus of herb, tobacco and underbrush flavors. Aggressively tannic now, but well-proportioned and long. Best from 2024 through 2043. (BS)
Cult Wines International Notes:
The 2014 Luciano Sandrone Aleste is a significant vintage that marks the continuation of the estate’s flagship single-vineyard Barolo, formerly known as Cannubi Boschis. Renamed in 2013 to honor Luciano’s grandchildren, Alessia and Stefano, the “Aleste” bottling remains sourced entirely from the prestigious Cannubi Boschis cru, a site renowned for its sea-deposit soils of calcareous clay. Despite the 2014 growing season being one of the most challenging in recent Piedmontese history due to heavy summer rainfall, the Sandrone family’s intensive vineyard management—including multiple rounds of thinning and a late October harvest—resulted in a wine of unexpected elegance and finesse. Following a traditional but meticulous winemaking process, the wine underwent spontaneous fermentation in open-top steel tanks and was aged for 24 months in 500-liter French oak tonneaux, followed by an additional 18 months of bottle aging before its initial release.
In the glass, the 2014 Aleste displays a brilliant garnet-red hue and a complex, highly aromatic bouquet. It leads with floral notes of iris and dried roses, which transition into vibrant red fruits like wild strawberry and raspberry compote, underpinned by sophisticated layers of cinnamon, star anise, and pipe tobacco. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied and characterized by its “vibrant tension” rather than raw power, offering a silky, restrained mouthfeel with fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. This vintage is celebrated as a “triumph for the year,” showcasing the aromatic complexity and softer structural profile typical of the Cannubi hill. While accessible now, its balanced composition and savory finish suggest it will continue to evolve gracefully through 2040.
Bottle Size:
750 mL
Storage History:
Always stored on its side in a climate-controlled cellar.
Condition:
Please note: The bottle shown is the exact bottle being sold.
Outstanding condition.
