Drank this on the first day over several hours, then corked it to be had two days later.
On the first day: - in the first hour, the fruit notes tended towards ripe strawberries with racy acidity and a very short finish - 3 hours in, the wine transformed towards dark fruits with blueberries, plums, lovely spice and tobacco notes with a medium long finish. The tannins were grippy, definitely will hold on to my other bottles longer.
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Such a wonderful wine. Sangiovese but with the French oak twist. Shows some darker cherry, pomegranate, tobacco, vanilla. Palate carries that Sangiovese line of acidity and tannic bite. Great now but should drink well for a long time
95+ tonight
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Very young Cepparello that shows the wood use with a predominant oak notes’ presence rather than tannins that are fine and well managed. The nose veer towards creamy nuances rather than fruity, but the structured and very long mouth is done for long term. Now 91, then can be 94.
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easily my WOTN. Such an exceptional wine. The Cepparello was amazing. Sangiovese aged in French oak. You get the red fruits (cherry, pomegranate, blood orange), baking spices from oak, vanilla, some tobacco, and creaminess but with a classic Sangiovese line of acidity. Extremely drinkable now but could also age a couple decades I imagine. Paired amazing with Italian style pasta and Kim’s homemade focaccia bread. I need more of these wines. I can see how it scored highly 97+ for me today and a bit irresistible at the moment.
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This is really lovely stuff now and will only get better over the next 10-15 years. If you have a case, pop open a bottle out of curiosity, but if not wait on it for now and enjoy in 2030. Great buy right now at $100.
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Dark ruby, rich dark cherry, spice, cedar, elegant yet powerful, long finish, tasted at Isole e Olena with Paolo Marchi who has sold the winery and is returning to his origins in Lessona Alto Piemonte
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This 100℅ Sangiovese is smooth elegant, and juicy. Probably the best cherry note I have tasted in Sangiovese or any wine perhaps. Orange, dried herbs, and mushrooms round out the palate. Not a complex wine yet, but this has not even begun its journey. Lovely stuff so far.
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The other notes on site do a good job of describing the characteristics of this wine. I will add that length and intensity are exemplary. The wine is not integrated right now - no surprise. The not inconsiderable oak element stands somewhat apart from the fruit. I find the fruit to be a near perfect expression of Sangiovese. A part of me wonders if this fruit needs the oak, but that is not the Cepp style.
I am not troubled by the oak, because history and the quality of the fruit here give me great confidence that with 5-10 years this will integrate into one of the really great Cepparello's and it will be a comparative 'budget' Super Tuscan.
I found this a very exciting wine. 2019 sometimes produced wines a little low in acid and a little too big in terms of fruit, with a loss of typicity and regionality, but not this one. What a fantastic last wine for the team that brought Cepparello into existence. I bought some on strength of past performance and the vintage and will buy more now I have tasted the wine.
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Paolo di Marche has sold Isole e Olena to the EPI Group, so this will be one of the last where he is in charge of the winemaking - perhaps an end of an era for a totally iconic Italian wine!
I’m not the biggest Galloni guy, but the notes from his review are spot on at this point: bright fruit (pomegranate) “with hints of blood orange, spice, cedar, mint and tobacco.” Fine tannins, elegant.
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Classy and restrained: this has a wonderful transparency and clarity to its layers: sweet cherry, leather, smoke, spice. Everything is beautifully balanced with a medium body, fine tannins and fresh acidity. It's going to improve in bottle too
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Lay & Wheeler Italy Growers' Tasting: Brief notes: Red fruits and floral notes on the note. It's elegant yet powerful, there's tobacco and red fruits, a herbal character and a floral lift. The tannins are young and fine, but it's very good.
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3/29/2024 - chmorc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank this on the first day over several hours, then corked it to be had two days later.
On the first day:
- in the first hour, the fruit notes tended towards ripe strawberries with racy acidity and a very short finish
- 3 hours in, the wine transformed towards dark fruits with blueberries, plums, lovely spice and tobacco notes with a medium long finish. The tannins were grippy, definitely will hold on to my other bottles longer.
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3/3/2024 - TMOVino2 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Such a wonderful wine. Sangiovese but with the French oak twist. Shows some darker cherry, pomegranate, tobacco, vanilla. Palate carries that Sangiovese line of acidity and tannic bite. Great now but should drink well for a long time
95+ tonight
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12/25/2023 - thewineengineer wrote: 91 Points
Very young Cepparello that shows the wood use with a predominant oak notes’ presence rather than tannins that are fine and well managed. The nose veer towards creamy nuances rather than fruity, but the structured and very long mouth is done for long term. Now 91, then can be 94.
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9/28/2023 - Costes76 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep, robust, luscious, musky but not overwhelming with solid balance and an elegant and structured finish. Great stuff.
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8/14/2023 - ShadowIII Likes this wine: 94 Points
tasted blind, big wine, dark fruits, dark cherry, blackberry, currants, spice, vanilla, solid structure, long finish, this is a beauty
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8/11/2023 - TMOVino2 Likes this wine: 97 Points
easily my WOTN. Such an exceptional wine. The Cepparello was amazing. Sangiovese aged in French oak. You get the red fruits (cherry, pomegranate, blood orange), baking spices from oak, vanilla, some tobacco, and creaminess but with a classic Sangiovese line of acidity. Extremely drinkable now but could also age a couple decades I imagine. Paired amazing with Italian style pasta and Kim’s homemade focaccia bread. I need more of these wines. I can see how it scored highly 97+ for me today and a bit irresistible at the moment.
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7/25/2023 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 94 Points
This is really lovely stuff now and will only get better over the next 10-15 years. If you have a case, pop open a bottle out of curiosity, but if not wait on it for now and enjoy in 2030. Great buy right now at $100.
5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/31/2023 - ShadowIII Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark ruby, rich dark cherry, spice, cedar, elegant yet powerful, long finish, tasted at Isole e Olena with Paolo Marchi who has sold the winery and is returning to his origins in Lessona Alto Piemonte
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5/19/2023 - Jonnhy99 Likes this wine: 93 Points
LCBO Tasting
This 100℅ Sangiovese is smooth elegant, and juicy. Probably the best cherry note I have tasted in Sangiovese or any wine perhaps. Orange, dried herbs, and mushrooms round out the palate. Not a complex wine yet, but this has not even begun its journey. Lovely stuff so far.
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5/14/2023 - Rote Kappelle Likes this wine: 95 Points
The other notes on site do a good job of describing the characteristics of this wine. I will add that length and intensity are exemplary. The wine is not integrated right now - no surprise. The not inconsiderable oak element stands somewhat apart from the fruit. I find the fruit to be a near perfect expression of Sangiovese. A part of me wonders if this fruit needs the oak, but that is not the Cepp style.
I am not troubled by the oak, because history and the quality of the fruit here give me great confidence that with 5-10 years this will integrate into one of the really great Cepparello's and it will be a comparative 'budget' Super Tuscan.
I found this a very exciting wine. 2019 sometimes produced wines a little low in acid and a little too big in terms of fruit, with a loss of typicity and regionality, but not this one. What a fantastic last wine for the team that brought Cepparello into existence. I bought some on strength of past performance and the vintage and will buy more now I have tasted the wine.
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3/7/2023 - wineappreciation wrote: 93 Points
Cranberry, leather, black cherry, powerful nose; young and bold, powerful but graceful, structured but fruitful and accessible; excellent potential
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2/28/2023 - cktb2793 Likes this wine:
Paolo di Marche has sold Isole e Olena to the EPI Group, so this will be one of the last where he is in charge of the winemaking - perhaps an end of an era for a totally iconic Italian wine!
https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/isole-e-olena-sold
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12/28/2022 - Gunakadeit Likes this wine: 95 Points
I’m not the biggest Galloni guy, but the notes from his review are spot on at this point: bright fruit (pomegranate) “with hints of blood orange, spice, cedar, mint and tobacco.” Fine tannins, elegant.
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11/28/2022 - Joshvoulters Likes this wine: 94 Points
Classy and restrained: this has a wonderful transparency and clarity to its layers: sweet cherry, leather, smoke, spice. Everything is beautifully balanced with a medium body, fine tannins and fresh acidity. It's going to improve in bottle too
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11/3/2022 - Biggsy wrote: 95 Points
Lay & Wheeler Italy Growers' Tasting: Brief notes: Red fruits and floral notes on the note. It's elegant yet powerful, there's tobacco and red fruits, a herbal character and a floral lift. The tannins are young and fine, but it's very good.
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