Wine Advisor
Isole e Olena, Cepparello Toscana 2019
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: James Suckling
So much licorice and fennel seed with black cherry and a hint of tomato paste. Medium body, round texture and savory flavors. Pretty and fresh at the end, with subtle flavors. Drink now or hold.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Savory, almost meaty profile in this vintage, with lush red cherries and blood oranges, as well as balsamic depth with a kind of pine-resin character. Full-bodied, it shows density and extraction with ripe fruit and a clean, powerful finish. Super fresh aftertaste. Drink or hold.
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
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.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2019 Cepparello has closed down quite a bit since I tasted it last year, as if all of its energy is focused inward. That won't be an issue in another few years' time, but for now readers should resist any temptation to open bottles. Time in the glass brings out gorgeous Sangiovese fruit, along with hints of blood orange, spice, cedar, mint and tobacco, all wrapped together by plush, silky contours. The purity of the fruit is just striking. In 2019, Cepparello is more finesse than power. I expect it will age beautifully over the next several decades.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2019 Cepparello is super-impressive, even though it has just been bottled. Ample and creamy, with its classic sense of mid-weight structure, the 2019 has so much to offer. Silky tannins wrap around a core of red/purplish berry fruit. New leather, spice and a hint of oak meld together effortlessly in the glass. I can't wait to check in on it in another 6-12 months or so. The 2019 is shaping up to be positively stellar.
About the Producer
The Isola et Olena Estate, run by Paolo de Marchi, is yet another property that has seen a dramatic rise in quality over the last few decades. Paolo's family, originally from Piedmont, purchased the estate in the 1960s. His attention to detail in both the vineyard and the winery was the driving force that turned quality around. The wines have Cepparello at their head, a barrique-aged Sangiovese classified as an IGT - because at the time of its creation in the 1980s a wine comprising 100% Sangiovese could not legally be labelled as Chianti. There is a Chianti Classico and a Vin Santo, as well as some excellent wines from the Collezione de Marchi label, including a Syrah called Eremo, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay
