Italy

Rating

93

Release Price

$45

Drink Date

1997 - 2010

Reviewed by

Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Issue Date

28th Apr 1995

Source

98, The Wine Advocate

The 1990 Sammarco may prove to be a worthy rival to the glorious 1985. The saturated ruby/purple/garnet color is followed by an intense yet youthful fragrance of ripe black fruits, vanillin, and minerals. Full-bodied, rich, beautifully delineated and structured, it possesses considerable body, tannin, and extract. Although accessible, it is extremely young and ideally should have another 2-4 years of cellaring. It should age well for 15+ years. As I have said many times, Sammarco always reminds me of a top Graves, because of the tobacco/mineral component it often displays. This outstanding Tuscan producer has been exceptionally consistent over the last decade, so it is not surprising that the 1990s performed brilliantly. Importer: Vias Imports, New York, NY; Tel. (212) 629-0200

Rating

98

Release Price

$65

Drink Date

2000 - 2020

Reviewed by

Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Issue Date

28th Aug 2000

Source

130, The Wine Advocate

The dense ruby/purple-colored 1997 Percarlo is compelling. Enormous in aromas, flavors, and persistence on the palate, it exhibits profound levels of concentration as well as unbelievably dense, black currant, blackberry liqueur notes infused with new saddle leather, licorice, truffles, and toasty oak. Enormously thick and viscous, with low acidity, and mouthcoating levels of extract, this wine's tannin level is high, but largely obscured by the wealth of fruit, glycerin, and extract. It is an amazing accomplishment! Anticipated maturity: now-2020.  

Rating

94

Release Price

$50

Drink Date

2000 - 2015

Reviewed by

 Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Issue Date

28th Aug 2000

Source

130, The Wine Advocate

Cotarella's flagship wine, his 100% Merlot called Montiano, is aged in 100% new oak casks for 12 months, and bottled with neither fining nor filtration. The terrific opaque purple-colored 1998 Montiano exhibits a spectacular bouquet of black cherry liqueur, licorice, and toasty vanillin. The wine explodes on the palate, offering copious quantities of glycerin, cassis, black cherries, and blackberries. As it sits in the glass, aromas and flavors of melted chocolate and toasty oak emerge. The finish lasts for 40+ seconds. This 1998 should drink well for 10-15 years. Bravo!  

The 2007 Chianti Classico Riserva emerges with hints of smoke, underbrush, licorice, leather and wild cherries. The wine gains volume and depth in the glass as its sheer pedigree emerges over time. There is plenty of muscle to back up the delicate aromatics in a striking balance of elegance and power, all in an essentially classic, mid-weight style. The round, deeply satisfying finish makes it hard to put the glass down.

Rating 95

Drink Date

2019 - 2034

Reviewed by

Antonio Galloni

Issue Date

30th Jun 2012

Source

201, The Wine Advocate

The 2009 Cepparello is gorgeous. It brings together the radiance and ripeness of a warmer year with the medium-bodied structure of a cooler vintage. Today the 2009 is a bit reticent and appears headed for a period of dormancy. From time to time hints of its ultimate potential come through in attractive layers of dark red fruit. The rich, textured finish bodes well for the future. Paolo De Marchi describes 2009 as a year with a cold spring and a hot summer that also brought hail in early August. The 2009 Cepparello is clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034. Proprietor Paolo De Marchi has left an indelible and highly personal stamp on Isole e Olena, and all of Chianti Classico for that matter. Originally of Piedmontese descent, De Marchi stands apart from many of his colleagues for his vocal opinions and intense dedication to the vineyard above all else. Since taking over his family’s estate in the late 1970s, De Marchi has transformed Isole e Olena into a powerhouse. The flagship Cepparello is 100% Sangiovese aged in French oak barrels. This nearly complete vertical charts the history of one of Tuscany’s most compelling wines. The first Cepparellos were vinified in cement. The cellar was heated to induce malolactic fermentation and the wines were subsequently aged roughly equal parts Slavonian oak casks and smaller French oak barriques, with a dollop of chestnut barrels thrown into the mix. It was a time of enormous sacrifice, given that green harvesting was viewed as throwing money out of the window, and every purchase of new French oak barrels was accompanied by a stern reprimand from De Marchi’s father to pay attention to costs. But De Marchi persevered. The fruits of his hard labor and pricing are amply captured in these magnificent wines.Over the years Cepparello has acquired a level of finesse it rarely had at the outset. Some of the refinements include giving the wines more air in vinification and an increase in the period of elevage in oak from 12-14 months to 18-20 months, which is the norm today. De Marchi says he started getting better quality oak around 1993, but it is the increased age of the vineyards themselves that have given Cepparello its finesse. Isole e Olena Cepparello Key Points: 1. 100% Sangiovese aged in French oak barrels 2. The top selection of the estate’s best fruits from their vineyards in Barberino Val d’Elsa, in the northern part of Chianti Classico 3. A style that emphasizes finesse over power, especially with bottle age 4. Aging potential: 20+ years

96+

Release Price

NA

Drink Date

2018 - 2040

Reviewed by

Monica Larner

Issue Date

28th Jun 2013

Source

207, The Wine Advocate

Gaia Gaja uses the word “salty” to describe this next wine, and I see her point. The 2010 Sori Tildin shows a dry, firmly structured quality that enhances those extraordinary, breezy overtones of lead pencil and brimstone that so fittingly frame the Nebbiolo grape. The lingering end-notes of rose petal, ginger and cedar are striking. You immediately feel the tannic structure and power of the wine. The jump is very sharp next to the Costa Russi, and that’s why this is one of Gaja’s best cellar-agers. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040.  

Mauro Mascarello's 2011 Barolo Monprivato is soft, open-knit and surprisingly ready to go today. Dried cherry, anise, crushed flowers, mint and sweet tobacco all find support in a pretty fabric framed by silky, inviting tannins. The 2011 is not a huge Monprivato, but it does offer good balance in a restrained, mid-weight style, even by this wine's historical standards. I have seen Monprivato gain considerable depth and intensity in bottle. It will be interesting to see what happens here. In 2011, Mascarello did not bottle their flagship Riserva Ca'd' Morissio. Instead, all the fruit went into the straight Monprivato.

Rating

95

Release Price

NA

Drink Date

2018 - 2035

Reviewed by

Monica Larner

Issue Date

29th Jun 2015

Source

219, The Wine Advocate

With fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, the 2011 Langhe Sperss is a wine of profound beauty. This is a velvety and caressing expression with dark fruit layers followed by kirsch, cassis, leather, balsam herb and white truffle. The Gaja family decided to move their bottling date forward in order to preserve the integrity and freshness of fruit in this warm vintage. This move has helped to avoid overripe sensations. In fact, Langhe Sperss seems fresh and tonic. This bodes exceptionally well for its aging potential.

The 2012 Cepparello is just as compelling as it has always been. Sweet, ample and generous from the outset, the 2012 shows all of its pedigree, even at this early stage. Radiant fruit and exquisite aromatics make a strong opening statement as the wine fleshes out in the glass. Ample, creamy and super-expressive, the 2012 is shaping up to be a superb Cepparello. The only thing the 2012 needs is time. An up and down year with hot temperatures in July and early August, followed by rain in September forced DeMarchi to be especially selective and bottle only the best lots. Production is down to 30,000 bottles from 36,000 in 2013 and 32,400 in 2011.

Rating 89

Drink Date 2015 - 2022

Reviewed by Monica Larner

Issue Date 30th Oct 2015

Source 221, The Wine Advocate

The 2012 Chardonnay Collezione Privata was slightly reduced when I first tasted it, so I asked Paolo De Marchi if I could take the open bottle back to my hotel to taste it a few hours later. When I did, I found that the wine had opened considerably and those flinty, volcanic tones had blown off. The bouquet shows apricot, cantaloupe melon and white almond paste. There is a natural creaminess to the wine that makes it very attractive once it gets revved up. Make sure you give this wine ample time to breathe.

There is no way not to be totally overwhelmed by the stunning beauty of the tiny twin hamlets of Isole and Olena that straddle either side of this historic property. Paolo De Marchi's enthusiastic and engaging personality defines the landmark set of wines before you.