Vinous - Antonio Galloni (98)

The 2020 Cepparello is a total stunner, just as it was last year. Deeply colored, layered and explosive in the glass, the 2020 possesses striking textural richness and overall intensity. Black cherry, graphite, plum, spice and lavender flesh out effortlessly. There's tremendous pedigree and sheer stature here. Cepparello is surely one of the wines of the year.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (98)

The 2020 Cepparello is a total stunner, just as it was last year. Deeply colored, layered and explosive in the glass, the 2020 possesses striking textural richness and overall intensity. Black cherry, graphite, plum, spice and lavender flesh out effortlessly. There's tremendous pedigree and sheer stature here. Cepparello is surely one of the wines of the year.

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Mid crimson. Immediately more complex on the nose with fruit and spice and hint of cigar box. Really tangy on the palate, vibrant and mouth-filling at the same time. Chewy tannins need time.

Decanter (94)

While Isole e Olena’s vineyards did suffer some minor frost damage in 2021, former owner Paolo de Marchi said it wasn’t dramatic, and fans will be happy to know that there is still ample quantity of this flag-bearing Chianti Classico. Bit by bit, it reveals characteristic nuances of brushwood, currants, rosehip, strawberry and pepper. Succulent and light on feet, the palate is judiciously concentrated with pure and persistent red berries. Taut, integrated tannins provide definition, and it trails off with garden-fresh herbs. This should give plenty of pleasure over the next eight to 10 years.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2006 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is a controversial wine and for good reason. Proprietor Paolo De Marchi was initially opposed to the idea of introducing the Gran Selezione category above the Chianti Classico Riserva. But more than a year ago, the Institute of Masters of Wine held a special dinner in Florence and producers were invited to pour only Gran Selezione wines. Paolo had an amazing barrel of Sangiovese put aside for a commemorative wine to celebrate his 30th anniversary as a winemaker. He hoped to dedicate that wine as a special limited release. Because he also wanted to pour something of his at the Masters of Wine dinner, he declassified the wine and re-registered it as a Gran Selezione. This also explains why it is from an older vintage. Most of his peers inaugurated this new category with the 2010 vintage. Only 1,800 bottles were made (of which 500 are put aside for the family's personal use) and the blend consists of Sangiovese with 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Syrah. I love Chianti Classico and I love super Tuscans, says Paolo De Marchi. This wine is a crossover of the two. The wine shows gorgeous ripeness with brooding dark fruit, depth and extreme balance. This is a wine that makes a statement upfront both in terms of the quality of the aromas and its overall integrity and persistency.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2006 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is a controversial wine and for good reason. Proprietor Paolo De Marchi was initially opposed to the idea of introducing the Gran Selezione category above the Chianti Classico Riserva. But more than a year ago, the Institute of Masters of Wine held a special dinner in Florence and producers were invited to pour only Gran Selezione wines. Paolo had an amazing barrel of Sangiovese put aside for a commemorative wine to celebrate his 30th anniversary as a winemaker. He hoped to dedicate that wine as a special limited release. Because he also wanted to pour something of his at the Masters of Wine dinner, he declassified the wine and re-registered it as a Gran Selezione. This also explains why it is from an older vintage. Most of his peers inaugurated this new category with the 2010 vintage. Only 1,800 bottles were made (of which 500 are put aside for the family's personal use) and the blend consists of Sangiovese with 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Syrah. I love Chianti Classico and I love super Tuscans, says Paolo De Marchi. This wine is a crossover of the two. The wine shows gorgeous ripeness with brooding dark fruit, depth and extreme balance. This is a wine that makes a statement upfront both in terms of the quality of the aromas and its overall integrity and persistency.

Wine Advocate (97)

This is a beautiful wine that is only made in the best vintages. In fact, I have only ever tasted 2006 (a late release), 2010 and 2013 before this bottle. The Isole e Olena 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is 90% Sangiovese enhanced with tiny percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Production is limited to a mere 3,000 bottles that will not be released commercially until spring 2022. The wine is enormously bright and buoyant in this classic vintage with lingering fruit and cherry that remains intact and fresh even when tasted now some five years after the harvest. Hints of leather, tar and potting soil softly fill in the rear. This wine promises a long and healthy aging future ahead.

Vinous (97)

There are very few producers in Tuscany who can produce Cabernet Sauvignon that is intensely varietal and also deeply regional. Paolo De Marchi is one of those growers. His 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon exudes tremendous resonance from start to finish. Blackberry jam, cloves, menthol, tar, licorice and grilled herbs all flesh out in this powerful, seductive wine. French oak adds volume and texture, but is also used with a deft hand. I can't wait to taste the 2007 with more bottle age. Today, it is impressively youthful and vibrant. A recent complete vertical back to the inaugural 1985 found the wines all aged with sublime grace. Make no mistake about it, this is one of the great wines of Tuscany and Italy.

Vinous (98)

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Collezione De Marchi is magnificent. Violets, smoke, plums and cassis jump from the glass in a stunning wine. All I can say is the 2010 is incredible. Just bottled one month ago, the 2010 shows no hard edges, incredibly expressive aromatics and beautifully delineated fruit. The 2010 isn’t a huge wine, but rather one built on exceptional finesse and elegance. It is one of the great wines of what has turned out to be a great Tuscan vintage.

Vinous (96)

A regal wine, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Collezione Privata from Isole e Olena soars out of the glass with tremendous aromatic and palate intensity. Deceptive in its mid-weight structure, the 2014 has so much to offer. Once again, De Marchi crafted a Cabernet Sauvignon that exudes character. Today, the 2014 is vivid but also intensely saline and clenched. Another few years in bottle should do the trick. This fruit was brought in during the last week of October and first week of November, quite late, even by the standards of the year.

Vinous (98)

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is among the finest Cabernet Sauvignons in Italy. High altitude sites in Barberino yield a distinctly mid-weight, elegant, savory Cabernet that is all about reserve. Dark plum, espresso, licorice, menthol and sage start to emerge with a bit of air, but the 2016 is a wine that demands cellaring. Over the years, I have had the good fortune to taste every vintage of the Isole e Olena Cabernet. It is one of the great under the radar wines of Tuscany. The 2016 takes its place with the very finest editions.

The Wine Independent (97)

This 2018 Isole e Olena Collezione Privata Cabernet Sauvignon is an opaque velvety color with a very narrow rim. On the nose it is very clear and bright with clearly delineated aromas of cassis and blackcurrant and a gentle, typically Cabernet Franc green-leafy note against a light background of fragrant rose. This wine shows yet another beautiful array of aromas with range and nuance. On the palate there is a lovely texture with plenty of concentration of flavor without being heavy and edged with fine tannins. This wine carries its 15% alcohol seamlessly. Another beautiful wine with gracefulness and charm.

James Suckling (95)

Super-restrained citrus profile with notes of bitter lemon peel and yellow grapefruit, both enhanced by delicate toastiness. The attack is polished, with a medium body, lifted integrated acidity, a zesty grip at the end and a mellow, hedonistic yet always tense texture. How improved this wine is compared to the past. Drink or hold.

Vinous (96)

Isole e Olena 2017 Syrah is powerful, dense and savory. Readers should not plan on opening a bottle anytime soon. Black cherry, plum, licorice, espresso, chocolate and leather build as this brooding Tuscan Syrah shows off its considerable character. The 2017 is a real powerhouse. Give it a few years in bottle.

Vinous (96)

Isole e Olena 2017 Syrah is powerful, dense and savory. Readers should not plan on opening a bottle anytime soon. Black cherry, plum, licorice, espresso, chocolate and leather build as this brooding Tuscan Syrah shows off its considerable character. The 2017 is a real powerhouse. Give it a few years in bottle.

Vinous (95)

The 2019 Syrah Collezione Privata is quite delicate and silky in this vintage, with a distinctly red-fruited profile that is unusual. Spice, orange peel, dried flowers and white pepper lend brightness to a Syrah that is both deep and light on its feet. I especially admire the vibrancy here.

The Jacopo Biondi Santi Sassoalloro 2010 hails from the heart of Tuscany, meticulously crafted amid the rolling hills of the Eskandhani estate. This rich red wine pulses with the very soul of the Sangiovese grape, locally known as 'Brunello'. As the proud testimony of Italian viticulture, Jacopo Biondi Santi nurtures his vineyard using traditional Tuscan methods, merging age-old techniques with innovative approaches to finesse a wine of unchallenged quality and character.

The Sassoalloro 2010 is the epitome of fine wine, revealing potent notes of black cherry, tobacco and Mediterranean spices to captivate the palate. Aged in French oak barrels for 14 months, this wine has attained a harmonious balance of complexity and smooth-refined tannins. Encapsulating noble lineage and tradition, the Jacopo Biondi Santi Sassoalloro 2010 is a confluence of innovation and authenticity - a discerning choice for the refined oenophile.

Famed for its exceptional opulence, the Jacopo Biondi Santi Sassoalloro 2018 is an exquisite product of the esteemed Biondi Santi winery. The family's Tuscan legacy radiates from this bottle, expertly crafted from 100% Sangiovese Grosso. The vineyards flourish in monolithic soils, imbuing this wine with a unique, robust character.

Sourced from the vineyards of the Castello di Montepo estate, the Jacopo Biondi Santi Sassoalloro 2018 vintage underwent a rigorous two-week fermentation process in steel vats, allowing it to preserve the innate flavours and aromas. Following this, it matured for 14 months in French oak barrels, contributing to its full-bodied, delicately-structured balance.

Opening a bottle of Jacopo Biondi Santi Sassoalloro 2018 unveils a seducing olfactory profile, revealing hints of cherry and spice, coupled with an elegantly long finish. It's truly an embodiment of the producer's philosophy of innovation within tradition; an enchanting blend of modern and time-honoured Tuscan winemaking.

Unearth the exquisite charms of Jermann Capo Martino 2021, a pinnacle of grandeur in the realm of fine wines. This extraordinary expression hails from the renowned vineyards of Jermann in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy, regarded as one of the world's eminent wine regions. Jermann Capo Martino 2021 is lovingly crafted from a delightful assembly of Chardonnay, Malvasia Istriana, Ribolla Gialla and Picolit grapes, each handpicked at optimum ripeness.

Meticulously aged in oak barrels, the wine develops a compelling depth of flavour - beautifully balanced between lush, exotic fruits and a crisp, refreshing minerality. On the nose, it unveils delicate notes of honey, ripe peach and subtle spices, which linger into a remarkably long and satisfying finish.

Created by Silvio Jermann, a masterful winemaker famed for his unwavering pursuit of perfection, Jermann Capo Martino 2021 is a testament to his commitment to quality and tradition, resulting in a wine with an undeniable allure.

Vinous (91)

The 2022 Vintage Tunina is distinctly savory, with a burst of rosemary, incense and flint stone giving way to freshly sliced green apples. It feels wiry, with salty mineral tones up front and a core of ripe orchard fruits that settle in toward the close. Brisk acidity keeps the mouth watering for more, along with a salty flourish as hints of sour lime fade. It's a balanced effort, yet I find myself craving more freshness.