Elio Sandri, new arrivals
2/17/21 -
When we last visited Elio Sandri in May 2019, we tasted 28 wines, all variations on the 5 wines he bottles (Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Barolo, and Barolo Riserva).
Elio is always testing the parameters of his winemaking, and he loves to share multiple versions of the same wine from different barrels, or the same wine from a bottle that’s been opened for a month, or his latest experiment.
This is the first time Elio has bottled “Ciman” (cement, in Piemontese) – Nebbiolo that could have been Barolo if it had been aged in wood; the wine spent over 48 months in cement (at least a year of that time outdoors!), and it is delicious. We only have a few bottles to offer, so we have to request a limit of one per person.
Perno is a hamlet in the town of Monforte that gives its name to a large area of surrounding vines; Disa is a subzone of Perno, and also the name of Sandri’s farm: Cascina Disa. The photo shows a view of the Disa vines looking across the little valley that separates Monforte from Serralunga – the vineyard on the opposite hill that wraps around the clump of trees is Gabutti; this gives you some idea of how close together these important vineyards are. Now Elio has added "Disa" to the label of bottlings made from the old vines near the house - a gorgeous mid-slope parcel.
Elio says that he asks the people who help him work the vines to slow down. “They should keep one hand in their pocket, and that way they can’t rush anything.” And as much as Elio is always thinking about how to improve his wines, they remain resolutely unmanipulated and old-school.
The wines offered here are all new to the market. Of course Elio thinks they’ll age well, but the wines have evolved to a point where he’s comfortable sharing them. You may well know that I’m a great believer in decanting both old and young Nebbiolo, and I think it's a requirement here; these are the kind of wines that require a long time to open, and they’re frequently even better the next day.
Visiting with Elio is a highlight of our stay in Barolo, and it always makes for a happy afternoon.
-Jamie Wolff
