Isole e Olena Cepparello 2019 (750ML)

100 WI / 97+ WA / 96 VM / 95 DE

#1 Wine Independent Top 25 QPR Collector Wines 2022

Paolo di Marchi’s leaving present to Tuscany is this delightful 2019 Isole e Olena Cepparello. 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. I feel this adds complexity.”…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. --Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Insependant

One of the icon wines of Tuscany, the Isole e Olena 2019 Cepparello is all Sangiovese crafted by the loving hands of a winemaking legend, the great Paolo De Marchi (who finalized the sale of his beloved estate when this wine hit the market). Indeed, this wine opens a discussion on the future of this celebrated IGT Toscana, a wine that followed a strict vision and style under De Marchi. It is elegant and rich with fine aromas of black and purple fruit. It ferments in oak and ages in French barrique for 20 months, with one-third new oak. With 58,000 bottles released, this is a sure candidate for long cellar aging.--Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate

Paolo De Marchi’s decision to sell Isole e Olena was on every producer’s mind when I visited Chianti Classico recently. Never one to hold back his opinions, De Marchi quickly established himself as a leader in the appellation with a series of stunning wines and a relentless drive to build the reputation of his estate. I can still remember the first time I tasted the flagship Cepparello. I was probably in my mid-twenties, and yet the wine was so distinctive I have never forgotten it. While focus has always been on Sangiovese, De Marchi is one of the few producers in Tuscany who has also excelled with Chardonnay, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, as I have personally seen in tasting many older vintages here over the years. To say that Paolo De Marchi will be missed is a massive understatement, but words aren’t really adequate to express all he has achieved and contribute in a long, storied career that goes back to the mid-1970s.--Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

The weather in 2019 was beautiful, with a hot, even summer with no temperature spikes, continuing into September with high variation between daytime and nighttime temperatures. Fragrant potpourri and medicinal aromas are reminiscent of the 2006, while the textured palate features pure, ripe cherry with some damp earth and even an umami hint of mushroom, cut through by bright acidity. Lively and dimensional, it's still in its youthful phase but should be superb once it's had time to grow into itself.--James Button, Decanter