4.2 The producer Luciano Sandrone

In the 1980s, various conferences, meetings, and in-depth initiatives on technical and market issues related to the local wines began to take place in the Alba area.
From a technical perspective, at that time, the most serious problem was oxidation. There was generally a production approach that seemed to favor this defect: they came from decades in which wines – including Barolo and Barbaresco – were considered better if they tasted "old".
Some even did everything they could to accentuate this sense of oldness in their wines. The step from "wine that tasted old" to oxidized wine was a short one, and so – even unintentionally – many producers found this obvious defect in their products.
It would have been enough to prioritize the original characteristics of Langa and Roero wines – fruity and capable of withstanding time – to avoid negative trends that penalized them. But it was necessary to rationalize this inherent character of Piedmontese wines, and this was not easy in a period when the quality of a Barolo was often misrepresented.
And then there were market issues, which until then had received little attention.
Basically, there were two reasons for this shortcoming: first of all, the general opinion was that it was enough to produce high-level wines and that they would sell themselves; furthermore, the more demanding and qualified export market was just taking its first steps for small, agricultural, and artisanal companies, whereas until then it had been dominated mainly by large-scale production entities, sometimes industrial, other times commercial.
Many organizations promoted these meetings with small and young producers, starting with the Confcoltivatori and then the Consorzio di Tutela del Barolo e Barbaresco, both then chaired by a great local figure, Senator Giovanni Giraudo. But, in addition to these organizations, there were many valuable technicians who sought to bring elements of modernity to the vineyard and the cellar.
In this dynamic context, Luciano began attending these meetings and engaging with other producers of his age. Among them, there was also a group of young friends, united by a passion for wine and a desire to improve their knowledge. They were the ones who would later become the protagonists of the "rebirth" of Barolo.

“In those years – Luciano recalls – there was a great desire to act and to learn. We young people often met in the evening to discuss winemaking techniques, wood, and temperatures. We exchanged bottles, tasted them together, and tried to understand where we could improve. There was no jealousy, but healthy competition and a great desire to collaborate. I remember with pleasure the meetings with Elio Altare, Domenico Clerico, Enrico Scavino and many others. Each of us had our own idea, our own sensitivity, but we all agreed on one point: we had to raise the quality of our wine to be able to compete in world markets. The international market was changing and we couldn't afford to be left behind”.
In particular, the trip that some of these producers made to Burgundy in 1983 was fundamental. That trip opened their eyes to a different way of understanding viticulture and oenology, based on the valorization of individual “crus” and obsessive attention to detail.
“Seeing how they worked in Burgundy – Luciano continues – was a true revelation for us. We understood that we too had extraordinary territories, which however had to be managed with a different awareness. We returned home with many new ideas and the desire to put them into practice immediately”.
But it was not easy to get these innovations accepted by the older producers, tied to a tradition that struggled to renew itself. There were heated discussions, sometimes even generational clashes. But the path was set and there was no going back.
In this process, Luciano always maintained his calmness and balance. He was not a revolutionary in the strict sense of the word, but a careful innovator, capable of treasuring tradition while looking to the future.

“I have always tried to mediate – Luciano confesses – between the old and the new. I have never liked extremes. I believe that the strength of Barolo lies precisely in this balance between its millennial history and the ability to continuously renew itself. In those 1980s, we only tried to restore dignity to a wine that risked losing its soul”.
Luciano's role in those years was also important because of his capacity for dialogue and comparison. He was esteemed by everyone for his seriousness and technical competence. This led him to be one of the reference points for that group of young producers who were changing the face of the Langhe.