Description
In the 1950s, the father of current winemaker Paolo de Marchi purchased the adjoining hamlets of Isole and Olena and their estates in the Tuscan commune of Barberino Val d’Elsa. Paolo entered the business in 1976 and the quality of the estates wines improved rapidly after decades of sharecropping. Di Marchi is one of the regions kings of the Sangiovese grape, at a time when Chianti was a blended wine it was he that stepped out to produce wines that were 100% Sangiovese. The wine, the true embodiment of the word Super Tuscan is the Cepparello IGT which has gone on to become an iconic wine and a benchmark for the Chianti region. The estate also produces stunning Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Chianti Classico.
About this wine from the winery: “A symbol of the estate, it’s the wine that has the deepest roots in the history of Isole e Olena. Produced for the first time in 1969, it has immediately become one of the protagonists of the modern renaissance of fine Chianti Classico. Over the years, it has preserved its character and authenticity, portraying the style of the estate: elegant and complex, yet very easy to drink, just like a Chianti Classico should be. Today it is produced with a high percentage of sangiovese, plus canaiolo and, sometimes, a touch of other red grapes varieties.
“The estate-owned vineyards are located in the San Donato in Poggio area, at an altitude of 300-480 meters on soils with a mixture of limestone, clay slates, marls and sandstone, typical of Chianti Classico. The exposition of the vineyards is generally south-southwest and the vine age ranges from 10 to 50 years.
“Today it is produced with a high percentage of sangiovese, plus canaiolo. Fermented in stainless steel tanks to maintain purity and freshness, it ages in big casks for 12 months plus 6 months in bottle. 14.5% alc.
“The 2022 vintage began with a nice spring and the right quantity of rain, which didn’t create any special phytosanitary issue. Very cool temperatures at night and warm and ventilated days favoured an excellent and rapid flowering and fruit setting. From mid-June the summer became the protagonist, with constant high temperatures, which grew until mid-August. Luckily after the third week of the month the much-awaited rain arrived, guaranteeing a lowering of the temperature and allowing to arrive at an early harvest with healthy and ripe grapes.:
“At the top of this pile, while keeping a firm grip on price and value, sits Isole e Olena. It seems to be, having tasted ten other wines, that this glorious Chianti takes all the favourable and attractive elements from this set of brilliant wines and weaves them into the most extraordinary cape of fruit, which is then draped around the shoulders of this very wine. Isole has long been a beacon of excellence in Tuscany, and this venerable estate appears to bottle magical Sangiovese at will. This 2022 is seamless, swirling, infinitely complex and lip-smackingly well-balanced. It is fast approaching its drinking period, thanks to its near-perfect equilibrium.“ Matthew Jukes
92 points, Decanter “This wine has a fragrant overture of pepper and raspberry, joined by mint, flint and dried flowers. The palate is a colourful mix of sour cherry and blackcurrant – all very crisp. The sandy tannins give the wine a decisive backbone, and the tart, crisp acidity cuts through the density. Graphite and spicy green peppercorns on the finish.”
92 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous “The 2022 Chianti Classico is an elegant, gracious wine. Silky tannins frame a core of bright red-toned fruit, rose petal, cinnamon and blood orange. The Chianti Classico is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo. The Syrah, once one of founder Paolo De Marchi’s quirky touches with this wine, is gone.”
93 points, James Suckling “A multi-layered wine with bright red cherries, dried cherries, sweet violets and lots of liquorice on the nose. On the palate, it is medium-bodied, very supple and refreshing, with lightly framed tannins and a crisp finish.”
RRP $81 Our Special Price $66.99 when you buy 6 or more.
