this is a really terrific, age-worthy, beautiful wine. It’s also a wine for those that drink (pretty much) exclusively reds from CA and WA; something you might want to try if you’ve been thinking about or tried (and mostly failed) to crossover. It’s not sweet, it’s not over-extracted, etc., but it’s got the structure, energy, balance, length, and flavors that will appeal to a very wide section of red wine lovers. Most of all, I wanted to post it while it’s in the marketplace - buy too little and you will lament, if not regret, it.
But wait! There’s more. Don’t buy it, and you won’t know what you’re missing, and, well, ignorance is bliss.
2016 Castellare di Castellina I Sodi di S. Niccolò Toscana IGT- Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (12/28/2020)
Very good>Excellent. Aerated in wide bottom decanter for 4 hours. Penetrating aromas, with deep, very precise flavors. This is a grand achievement for this bottling, seemingly having it all - structure, fresh, layered red/dark red layers of fruit, soil/sense of place, etc.; even some blood orange on the nose. At many points throughout this bottle, I was quite content just to marvel at its artistry, at nature’s beautifully vivid power and grace - more than once I found myself inside the wine, or wanting to be there, it being a place of such wonder. For serious collectors of either this wine/this region or both, please consider a case purchase - a high level indeed. For my palate, drink 2025-2044, but really, there’s no harm in opening one now if you prefer them young. highly recommended
Keeping in mind there are lots of preferences/palates already in this thread, I’ll try to clarify.
Upon release of the 2015, after having tasted it at the cantina with Alessandro, and at VinItaly, I decided (3) bottles was perfect for me: one to cellar, and one or two to share with friends that I knew would appreciate it, and its generous, open-knit style, while offering enough structure and balance to keep me engaged, too.
That said, after tasting at the same two venues, I immediately bought (6) of the 2016, and I’ll likely get (6) more - barring any surprises, I’ll be in Italia from March-June, will buy them there. The 2016 is more of everything, but it’s also very much to my palate preference in that its generosity is perfectly matched to its top-level structure; it’s a bespoke suit from Saville Row, and I find the 2015 is more open, and should certainly be enjoyed whilst the 2016s are in deep sleep. Unless you buy several, in which case then open one (I’d open it the night before, probably double decant for 3-4 hours, re-cork, and serve the next day, or two).
Tim has an awesome blog. Another that is a much different in style is JoFo’s (John Fodera) Tuscanvines. Gregory dal Piaz has some great knowledge and data points. Years ago, there was a guy by the name of Kyle Phillips who had a site Italian Wine Review, but that seemed to end about a decade ago. Not sure what happened.
Thanks for the note, it’s not a wine i’ve had before and I’m now curious to seek one out to try. It’s not a ‘cheap’ wine - starts around $70, with an avg CT price in the States closer to $85. So, I’m also curious how folks who’ve had it feel it about it from a QPR and/or cost trade-off perspective, ie the quality relative to other wines for the price? In a zero-sum world, is it a fair trade off instead of a Vajra Bricco de Viole at $75, Isole e Olena cepparello at $60, 2016 Il Poggione Brunello at $85-ish, etc?
Re: Vajra BdV, if that’s a style you adore, buy the 2015 bottle of this 2016 Castellare i Sodi di SN
Re: Cepparello, it’s one of my largest cellar holdings, have been drinking it for a long time, i.e. love it, and the extreme value it represents. I’d put this 2016 on par with a fine vintage Cepparello, even if they’re clearly different wines (thanks in large part to the 15% Malvasia Nera)
Re: Il Poggione. Not yet released, obviously, but this is a wine that needs 10 years, at least, before it’s ready to be drank. For my palate, anyway. The point being, the Castellare could well turn out to be one of those wines that drinks well now and never shuts down; that fact matters a lot to me when considering the quantity that’s right for me.
Not sure that helps, but I hope so.
(fwiw, last November, while at the winery, I picked up a six pack of the 2016 Cepparello; not a onesie/twosie vintage of that wine, to be sure).
Hi Tim, thanks for the TN. Always appreciate your work. Really enjoyed the '14 Castello di Monsanto Classico Gran Selezione Il Poggio Single Vineyard. Just bought a case of this from your recommendation at $53/per.
Thanks Tim, very thoughtful and helpful reply. Glad to hear that its not only a wine you like on its merits, but also one that you think provides good value relative to similarly priced peers!
didnt see it on your CT page, but curious if by chance you had the 2014. Ran out of Argon 30% through pouring a glass for lunch today, but the little I tasted already showed a lot.
one of my alltime favorite wines from Italy and along with Il Carboniaone, I think the definitive Sangiovese style. no disrespect to the best Brunellos but these Chianti-based super-tuscans just have more personality! For those who seek out back vintages at auction, I’ve had I Sodis from the 03-07 range that are drinking very well at the moment
Just had the 2006 the other night and it’s terrific. I also have 6 of the '16. I find this wine to be right in line (in terms of consistency and beauty) with Cepparello, and Montevertine’s ‘Montevertine’, all three are roughly the equivalent of Flaccianello at half the cost. I would add Monsanto’s ‘Il Poggio’ CCR to the list as well, despite the fact that it presumably isn’t 100% Sangio (likely 10%-ish Colorino/Canaiolo)…It still seems stylistically similar to the others, at least with 10 years of age to soften the oak that is sometimes apparent when this one is young.
As to the prior comment saying Cepparello at $60 is a better value, I would note that (i) Cepparello is now always $69-$79…I haven’t seen it for $60 since probably the 2009 or 2010 vintage, and (ii) while the relative “greatness” of these three wines may vary from vintage to vintage, all are great values in my book, and it would be difficult to single out one as being better than another–they are all “best in class Sangiovese” yet more consistent and less expensive than comparably priced Brunello (and there are fewer Brunellos made in a similar style–i.e. elegant, lighter, prettier, less “brawny”).
Flaccianello and Montevertine’s “Le Pergole Torte” were ALSO in the $69-$79 range until about the 2008 vintage for Flaccianello and about 2004 for Pergole Torte…both of these wines now go for closer to $180.
I like Il Carbonaione as well, but it scratches a different itch for me, and I tend to think of Cepparello, Montevertine and the Castellare as much softer/prettier (and visually much less dark in color), with Il Carbonaione being quite dense, tannic and brawny. I like both a lot, but I’m usually in the mood for one or the other, and would be more likely to want Carbonaione with beef (steak, short ribs), lamb, or a heavy pasta (ragu, Bolognese, tomato-based, etc.), whereas I’d be happy to drink an entire bottle of Cepparello or Castellare with pork, veal, or chicken (or even sitting on a patio without any food at all).
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