Winemaker Notes
The alternation of hot and cold periods characterized the vegetative cycle of 2006. Heat in May and June was very strong, but from August onwards the situation changed. August 2006 was the coldest in 5 years, with marked differences between day and night temperatures and, thankfully, some rainfall. By mid-September there were perfect harvest conditions. Harvest took place from the September 28 to October 6.
After delicate maceration in steel, the wine was transferred into 500L French oak barrels, which had already been used once, to avoid the risk of overpowering the wine's aromatic quality. Ageing took place 12 months in the same wood and 9 months in the bottle.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2006 Nebbiolo d’Alba Valmaggiore is made from a vineyard in the emerging Roero district. It is an especially generous Nebbiolo in this vintage. Perfumed aromatics meld into super-ripe red cherries, spices, flowers and toasted oak. The wine offers outstanding depth and richness in a full-bodied, racy style. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2016.
This is a very strong set of entry-level wines from Luciano Sandrone, one of Piedmont’s top growers. In a region full of outspoken, colorful producers, Sandrone remains soft-spoken and rather shy, but his wines speak for themselves rather eloquently.
Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Grown throughout the area, as well as in the neighboring Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, it reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Outside of Italy, growers are still very much in the experimentation stage but some success has been achieved in parts of California. Somm Secret—If you’re new to Nebbiolo, start with a charming, wallet-friendly, early-drinking Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba.
An historic village situated right in between the famous regions of Barolo and Barbaresco, Alba is also the name for the larger wine region surrounding the village.
In a sense, “Alba” is a catch-all phrase, and includes the declassified Nebbiolo wines made in Barolo and Barbaresco, as well as the Nebbiolo grown just outside of these regions’ borders. In fact, Nebbiolo d’Alba is a softer, less tannic and more fruit-forward wine ready to drink within just a couple years of bottling. It is a great place to start if you want to begin to understand the grape. Likewise, the even broader category of Langhe Nebbiolo offers approachable and value-driven options as well.
Barbera, planted alongside Nebbiolo in the surrounding hills, and referred to as Barbera d’Alba, takes on a more powerful and concentrated personality compared to its counterparts in Asti.
Dolcetto is ubiquitous here and, known as Dolcetto d'Alba, can be found casually served alongside antipasti on the tables of Alba’s cafes and wine bars.
Not surprisingly, given its location, Alba is recognized as one of Italy’s premiere culinary destinations and is the home of the fall truffle fair, which attracts visitors from worldwide every year.