1999 Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT- Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (6/4/2020)
Excellent. Quite the surprise after drinking three of these in the past couple of years: one was DOA/maderized, another was ok, the other, quite good. But this!
Part of me (is this a natural reaction?) was wondering, just two sips into this, if (1) I had any more, and (2) if I was drinking the best bottle in my cellar, as surely the odds were against them. Well, come to find out (after I opened it), this was my final bottle. Another news flash, I’ve got hundreds of bottles that will either give this a run for its money, or eclipse it. Still, I had reason to worry; special bottles evoke such sentiment.
This was almost Bordeaux-like in that it was 20 years old, and clearly had lots left in the tank, with its deep, rich red fruits that had taken on an almost cassis-like quality. This gained a gentle, noble complexity with each subsequent pour. Four ounces saved for night #2, were just as good. In a perfect place, if you happen to have one of the bottles with the blessed cork. 14,0% abv. highly recommended
Great note. I’ve only first tried Cepparello in 15 and 16, and it’s wonderful. I’ve never had an aged one, though it’s amazing how good those are young too.
Cepparello is one of my favorites as well. Not sure why you had that much bottle variation, but in any event this is a great wine in most every vintage, and is a shocking “value” when compared to its peers (which I view as Fontodi Flaccianello, Bibi Graetz Testamatta, and Montevertine’s Le Pergole Torte, all of which are now well over $100…while Cepparello can still be found for $69-$79). Recently had terrific bottles of 2003 (really surprising given the vintage), and 2015 (my note said “Tastes like the heart and sole of Tuscany…to me, this is about as good as wine gets”), and a mediocre 2010 (which, given the vintage, I chalked up to just timing…i.e. too early/closed down).
Thus far, I have been unsuccessful keeping any Cepparello beyond about 8 years from the vintage. I think 2013 is the oldest vintage I have around. I’ve had really good luck opening these on release with the right food. It’s compelling as a young expression of Sangiovese. My local guy sold me Testamatta last year at a price just above the Cepparello (and below the $100 threshold). I’ve never tried it but the story seemed good. Seeing it mentioned in this context bodes well.
I have not noted any bottle variation on the young ones I open.
The Testamatta is a softer, lighter expression than Cepparello. The Testamatta shows much more red fruit, and is softer on the palate, while Ceparello which shows loads of cedar, dark cherry and spice). But I do include them both on my list of very good “pure” expressions of 100% Sangiovese wines. Even if the price were equal, I would personally prefer the Ceparello…and at current pricing of course I buy it much more frequently. But both are top notch. I can’t speak to the ageworthiness of the Testamatta as I have only tried it from 2-3 different vintages, and always within 2-4 years of release.
