Tuesday, September 16, 2008

2006 Luciano Sandrone Dolcetto d'Alba

Sandrone is considered one of the finest producers in the Piedmont region for his Barolos, but he also does an incredible job with his lower-end wines. I was told the 2006 Dolcetto would be an eye-opener and it certainly was. I have had many Dolcettos over the years (and tasted several fine examples at Vinitaly) but typically have preferred Barbera's to Dolcettos when searching out values from the region. This wine changed all that.

The 2006 Sandrone Dolcetto d'Alba is phenomenal. I can't describe it any other way. For the price, it is a fantastic value, and it will wow anyone looking for a great example of what this region can produce. The wine was in complete balance, offering plenty of fruit, but also just enough tannin to balance it out and give it the complexity one would expect in a fine Nebbiolo, not a Dolcetto. The wine was about $18, and certainly to me was as good as many wines at 2-3 times the price. Anyone wanting a true gem from Italy even with a weak dollar should search this wine out. It's one of the top QPR (Quality-Price Ratio) wines I've had in quite some time, and certainly intend to buy and drink more.

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