TNR: 2002 Sandrone Nebbiolo d'Alba Valmaggiore

Buy or pass at $30?

I know about the vintage, but read some solid comments on CT and a WA review…

Anyone?

I’ve tasted the 04 vintage of this wine and it was the most generic bottle of wine made from nebbiolo I’ve ever experienced. If tasted blind, I would have guessed perhaps an aussie cab/syrah blend - absolutely nothing suggested neb to me. I don’t have much experience with Sandrone, and this was so un-neb like I quite possibly ran into the dreaded bottle variation.

$30 for a weak vintage isn’t that much cheaper than my price for the 04 - not a great deal in my book.

My two cents, which is about all its worth…

Scott, I think the 04 may need a few years to show its stuff.

Peter, try one and let us know!

I tasted the 2001 and 2004 at the estate at the end of 2006. The 2001 had a wonderful spicy nebbiolo character, which Sandrone said would happen to the 2004 over time.

I would give the 2002 a shot. Like Ken says, try a bottle and let us know.