Elio Sandri

Domaine Elio Sandri wines: buy at the best price

Nestled on the steep slopes of the Perno cru in Monforte d'Alba, in Italy's Piedmont region, Domaine Elio Sandri (also known as Cascina Disa) is one of the Barolo appellation's best-kept secrets. A traditionalist and fiercely independent winemaker, Elio Sandri farms his 7.5 hectares of vines organically with minimal intervention, carrying on family expertise passed down since the late 19th century. His limited production of around 2,000 cases a year includes outstanding Barolo from old vines planted in 1937, as well as Dolcetto, Barbera and Langhe Nebbiolo of rare purity and elegance. Recently brought to wider attention by critic Antonio Galloni, Cascina Disa's wines have become some of the most sought-after in Piedmont.

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Elio Sandri Barolo Riserva Perno 2019
Bio
2 in stock
122674
Red
75cl
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Outside France | Italie - Barolo

Elio Sandri Barolo Riserva Perno 2019

€78.00 inc-VAT per bottle
€65.00 ex-VAT

History of Domaine Elio Sandri

The history of Cascina Disa reaches back to the 15th century, when monks planted the first vines on these steep hillsides and passed down a deep respect for the land. The Sandri family settled on the estate in the late 19th century and has grown vines there ever since. A modern turning point came in 1965, when Giovanni Sandri, Elio’s father, formally acquired Cascina Disa in the heart of the village of Monforte d’Alba, shortly after his son was born. For many years, the family sold its grapes to other producers before becoming an independent estate.

Elio Sandri vinified his first harvest in 1981, taking the reins of the estate after his father’s sudden illness. Discreet, almost secretive, for decades, he quietly built an exceptional body of winemaking work, rejecting the modernist Barolo fashions of the 1990s and remaining faithful to Piedmontese tradition in its purest form. International recognition came when critic Antonio Galloni discovered his wines and said they resembled the Barolos his father drank in his youth—wines no longer made today. Now supported by his children, Luna and Riccardo, Elio Sandri continues this family endeavor with a philosophy he sums up himself as walking slowly through time.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine Elio Sandri

Cascina Disa’s vineyards cover 7.5 hectares in the heart of the Perno cru, an east- and south-facing hill east of the village of Monforte d’Alba, in the Barolo DOCG zone. The vines grow at elevations of 300 to 500 meters on particularly steep, cool slopes, in soils of gray loam threaded with sand that combine characteristics of the Castiglione and Serralunga terroirs. This eastern exposure, cooler than the warmer western slopes of its distinguished neighbors, allows for late harvests and ripeness that preserves the grapes’ natural freshness.

The vineyard remains devoted to Piedmont’s great grape varieties: Nebbiolo, the signature grape of Barolo, some of it planted here in 1937; Barbera; Dolcetto; and a small plot of Merlot. The vines are planted very closely, about 70 centimeters apart, and are farmed organically without spraying or mechanical tilling, as the slopes are too steep for a tractor. Wild plants and biodiversity flourish between the rows, creating a unique aromatic mosaic. Harvesting is entirely by hand and takes place at night to preserve the grapes’ freshness.

Winemaking at Domaine Elio Sandri

Winemaking at Elio Sandri is Piedmontese tradition in its purest form. Everything is done with minimal intervention, reflecting a winemaker’s belief that nature, when respected, knows how to make the best wines. Fermentations are spontaneous, using the estate’s native yeasts, and proceed slowly and gently over several months in the cool underground cellars. The Barolo is fermented as whole clusters, without destemming; only the Nebbiolo and Dolcetto destined for other cuvées are destemmed. Fermentation takes place first in stainless steel tanks, then in concrete tanks, before aging begins.

Aging takes place exclusively in very old Slavonian oak casks: the estate owns only botti and no new barrels. New oak is entirely excluded, preserving the pure expression of the terroir. Barolo Perno thus spends between 18 and 72 months in oak, depending on the character of the vintage, followed by extended bottle aging well beyond the required three years. There is no racking, fining, or filtration, and sulfur is added sparingly only at bottling. Every bottle of Barolo is even wrapped by hand in paper, Elio Sandri’s final artisanal touch for his customers.

The Cuvées of Domaine Elio Sandri

Dolcetto d’Alba is one of the few Dolcetto cuvées produced within the Barolo zone, making it a true rarity. Aged in old Slavonian oak casks without any new oak, this wine offers aromas of blackberry preserves, fresh herbs, mint, lavender, and a floral undergrowth. The palate reveals a clean texture, vibrant acidity, and taut dark-berry fruit, with a lively, zesty finish. A pure, elegant Dolcetto with surprising aging potential.

Barbera d’Alba Superiore comes from 1,200 closely planted Barbera vines at the top of the Perno hill, on iron-rich, low-fertility soils. It is probably the only Barbera grown within the Barolo zone. This sophisticated, intense style of Barbera entices with notes of soft blackberries, flowers, clove, minerality, and dark plum, accented by a touch of coffee. Made without new oak, it is a fine wine for the table, with a refined character.

Langhe Nebbiolo offers a superb introduction to Cascina Disa’s Nebbiolo. Grown in the Perno cru, sometimes on shadier plots that come into their own in scorching vintages, this wine charms with aromas of crushed flowers, mint, tobacco, spice, and cedar. A few months in concrete tanks followed by twelve months in oak casks produce a classic Langhe Nebbiolo: saline, fragrant, and full of personality. A fine wine to decant or leave in the cellar for a year or two.

Marakipa is an original, small-production cuvée blending Dolcetto, Barbera, and Nebbiolo from the estate’s younger vines and richer soils, along with wine from overflow tanks. Generous, approachable, and a pleasure to drink, it beautifully expresses the spirit of Cascina Disa in a more immediate, joyful style. An ideal cuvée for discovering the house style without waiting years for it to mature in the cellar.

Barolo Perno DOCG is the estate’s core cuvée, made entirely from Nebbiolo grown in the Perno cru, including vines planted in 1937. Fermented as whole clusters and aged for 18 to 36 months, depending on the vintage, in very old Slavonian oak casks, this classic Barolo is austere in its youth but reveals aromas of red cherry, mint, tobacco, spice, leather, and dried flowers, with a saline thread that carries through the finish. A Barolo built for very long aging; give it at least a decade to reveal its full depth.

Barolo Perno Riserva is the estate’s exceptional flagship cuvée, made only in the finest vintages after a rigorous selection. Sourced from the oldest Nebbiolo plots in the Perno cru, it can spend up to 72 months aging in oak casks, followed by several years in bottle before release. The result is a majestic Barolo, deeply floral and spicy, combining black cherry, lavender, sweet tobacco, licorice, and menthol with restrained power and a distinctive elegance built to last for decades in the cellar.

Barolo Perno Vigna Disa is the estate’s rarest and most distinctive single-vineyard cuvée, made from Vigna Disa’s oldest vines, planted in 1937. More tannic, denser, and more energetic than the house’s other Barolos, it has a decidedly old-school character, with notes of leather, espresso, spice, black cherry, and mint. This rustic, taut Barolo brims with class and personality, a perfect reflection of Piedmontese tradition preserved intact.

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