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Happy Friday Artisans,
Today's offering is truly one for the ages as it's the second to the very last vintage of the legendary Blue Chip Super-Tuscan Cepparello.
Paolo de Marchi, proprietor and winemaker for 50 years, retired and sold this historic estate back in June 2022.
But talk about going out with a bang by ranking in Spectator's Top 100 of 2023!
Lisa-Perrotti Brown is expected to publish another 100-point score for this vintage, matching her 2019 rating just before:
"Paolo di Marchi’s leaving present to Tuscany is this delightful 2019. Cepparello is a blend of Sangiovese from different vineyards, selected by Di Marchi on the basis of "the best exposure, elevation, soil, genetics and age.” The first vintage was in 1980 when 100% Sangiovese was not permitted under the Chianti Classico rules. Those rules have since changed but the wine remains an IGT Toscana. It has a supremely enticing nose with cream and exotic spice, reminding me of Arabian spice markets. With the 2019 there is an added precision to the aromas, less heavy oak, and no greenness on the palate. It is concentrated with a rich velvety texture but without any heaviness and with a gentle unforced quality. The tannins are fine and very well integrated, in fact finer and better integrated than even the excellent 2016 vintage. It is of course very young now but it’s almost too delicious not to drink! Supremely graceful, it just gets better and better."
100 Points, Lisa Perroti-Brown, The Wine Independent
Isole and Olena were two small adjoining properties purchased by winemaker Paolo de Marchi's father in the 1950s. Though Antinori's Tignanello was the first "Super Tuscan" in 1974, Cepparello debuted shortly after in 1980. Since then, Cepparello has become an icon of Tuscan wine and Isole e Olena is recognized as among the best estates in the world. The estate is located in the center of the Chianti hill, on the western slope. Vineyards go from 350 to 500 meters in altitude, benefiting from a cooling breeze and resulting in colder winter temperatures than the rest of Chianti; Cepparello refers to the name of the valley where the vines are grown.
Cepparello is considered among the purest, most polished and elegant of Super-Tuscans. Only 3,000 cases or so are made each vintage, so our allocations are never quite large enough to satisfy the demand. We have only 36 bottles available today.
Ciao,
—James tran
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