Elio Sandri
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The secret is still fairly hidden, but the wines from Elio Sandri are special gems. Located in Monforte, the estate has been making some of the tastiest wines in Barolo for decades.All organic farming, but not labeled. Hands off in the winery, but doesn't boast about it. The wines are humble, pure and exactly what you want if Bartolo, Burlotto and Giacosa have become unobtainable. I promise, you will remember when these were "affordable" and should have bought more:) We are very fortunate to have picked up the following arriving in the Spring. CIMAN is a rare cuvée with the Nebbiolo aged in Cement!
You know part of the story, as it is rote for so many of today's producers: the Sandri family has grown grapes in Monforte d'Alba, within clear view of the Swiss Alps, since the 1800s; for the entirety of this time, however, the grapes were sold off to other wineries, a simpler time. Then came Elio.
Yes, the all-consuming world of grape-growing begat the desire to make wine from his family's produce, which he did more than two decades ago, his first production a mere 2000 cases.
Fast forward a bit, through the boom of bombastic, dense Barolos and Super Tuscans, and Elio remains in the group with a select few - including the Mascarellos, Altares and Canonicas of the region who never ltered their style; in fact, he is so intent on limiting the impact he has on the wines that he will wait patiently for his wines to declare themselves ready (by taste) to be released, routinely much longer than any other winery of the region would dream of holding wines back from the market.
His cold cellars preserve the freshness of his wines as they develop slowly through fermentations and subsequent elevage, following their own path having been harvested from Elio's plots, which are situated on cooler, East-facing slopes of Perno. Inter-planted with herbs and other cover crops, some have claimed they find an extra savory spice in the Sandri wines, but we leave that to the drinker to determine. He will, however, be sure that you taste the absolute purity in the wines, as the clusters are reduced to one per shoot, and the smaller clusters preferred - this concentrates the intensity in the grape, even though ti drastically reduces yields; quality over quantity is not a philosophy but rather an edict.
Most wines are fermented in stainless steel, then will spend time in concrete before being transferred to traditional wooden botti; no new ok will be used whatsoever.
