While spending an afternoon with Roberto and Mauro Prandi, two things are clear: their pride for their family’s footprint in this region, and their pride as the sons of Rosanna Sandri. In 1950, Mario and Teresina Sandri began making wine from vineyards in San Rocco Seno d’Elvio, a stone’s throw away from the once-unknown village of Barbaresco. Their daughter, Rosanna, grew up working with her parents in the vineyards. After Rosanna married Franco Prandi in 1978, he gradually took over most of Mario and Teresina’s vineyard work, adding another 1.5 hectares in early 2000s to their original 2.5 hectares. 

Franco continues to look after the 6 hectares of vines to this day while Roberto and Mauro, his sons, have taken over the family business. Roberto, a trained oenologist, has taken over as winemaker while Mauro, also an oenologist, looks after the business alongside Rosanna. As a family, they have deep respect for the natural biodiversity of the land, plants, and animals. They have never used herbicides in the vineyard, cover crops are actively embraced, and homemade fertilizer is exclusively used in their organic vineyards

In the winery, they only use indigenous yeasts, and no additives are used for fining, filtering, or stabilizing their wine. Vinification takes place in concrete vats, and aging is in large wooden Botti, a Piedmontese tradition. Following historical practices, they use a large basket press for crush. Despite this fundamental respect and appreciation for the past, the domaine of Rosanna Sandri is crafting pure, lifted, and approachably young wines across their range.

Not always seen in the Barbaresco region, Rosanna Sandri brandishes the beauty of all the varieties grown in this region, not just Nebbiolo. Nothing speaks to that more than the fact that their best vineyard is planted with old-vine Dolcetto, and Roberto likes to call himself a “traditionalist” as someone who celebrates Dolcetto, Barbera, and Arneis . Roberto & Mauro continue to carry the torch for the family, and all Rosanna & Franco have built.