Cepparello is an iconic Tuscan wine created by legendary winemaker, also known as Mr Sangiovese, Paolo Marchi. The latest release 2021 will be the last vintage made by Paolo. It has received an impressive 19/20 points from Matthew Jukes and is one of the best in record.
I must admit it is utterly stunning... This wine is destined to become a collector’s item before we know it! – 19/20 points Matthew Jukes
Cepparello’s Story
Hailing from Alto Piemonte, the De Marchi family moved south to Tuscany when they purchased two adjoining estates ‘Isole’ and ‘Olena’ in 1956 near San Donato in Poggio, in the western part of the Chianti Classico zone. Both were small, derelict sharecropping hamlets at the time, but soon became ‘Isole e Olena’.
Paolo de Marchi took over the estate from his father in 1976 at the age of 25, after studying at Geisenheim, Montpellier, Beaune and UC Davis. He spent most of his life studying Sangiovese and made substantial improvements in the quality of this varietal, which the whole region benefited from. He released the first vintage of ‘Cepparello’ in 1982, once he was convinced his wine had exceptional qualities. Since then, Cepparello has not only validated Sangiovese’s potential but it also became a Tuscan legend.
Made with 100% Sangiovese, Cepparello fell outside the legal requirements for Chianti Classico and was labelled as a Vino da Tavola Toscana. The rules of Chianti Classico DOCG have since changed, enabling producers to vinify single varietal wines, however, Paolo maintained the IGT labelling in reference to the wine’s rebellious history.
Paolo has now retired and with no heirs to take over the estate, the estate was sold in 2022 to Christopher Descours, who also owns two prestigious wineries - Charles Heidsieck and Biondi Santi. The 2021 will be Paolo’s last vintage but no doubt Cepparello’s future is in safe hands.
Vineyards
Cepparello takes its name from the small stream that originates at the highest point of the vineyards on the estate. It is produced from a selection of the best Sangiovese on the property, typically including the oldest vines, some of which nearing 60 years old.
Isole e Olena’s vineyards are planted on south/south-west facing slopes between 300 and 500 metres above sea level. These are some of the highest and westernmost vineyards of Chianti Classico, enjoying a cooler climate which creates a unique elegance to the wines. Soil on the estate is primarily made up of galestro, a schistous clay, and the vineyards are surrounded by forest, mitigating temperatures and increasing biodiversity. The vines also prosper in harmony alongside almond, apple, plum, peach, quince trees, and the estate is also home to some 2000 olive trees
Winemaking
After crushing, the must is fermented on its skins, in unique conic open-top oak fermenters for about three weeks. Post malolactic fermentation the wine was then racked into barrels. Cepparello 2021 was 100% barrel-aged for 18 months, including a third in new French and American oak (the latter making up 3-5% of the total), a third in one year old oak and the remaining third in two-year-old oak. The wine was then blended, bottled, and aged for another year before release on 1st April 2024.
2021 – The Growing Season
The 2021 growing season began with very low temperatures in early Spring, which delayed shoot development. Towards the end of Spring, heavy rainfall encumbered flowering and in turn fruit set. Meticulous vineyard management was required to mitigate these challenges and ensure vine health throughout the rest of the growing season. Excellent water reserves prevented further stress on the vines throughout the warm and dry summer that followed. Ahead of harvest, the diurnal shift grew bigger, enabling optimal ripening and lively acidity. The challenges encountered in 2021 resulted in yields being considerably down. Nevertheless, the wines are bright, elegant and complex.
Cepparello 2021 – The Scores
[…]This spectacular property was bought by Christopher Descours, owner of Charles Heidsieck and Biondi Santi, among others. Christopher’s dedication and attention to detail will undoubtedly build on Paolo De Marchi’s incredible legacy. So, this must be the final ‘Paolo Cepparello’, and I must admit it is utterly stunning... It is seamless and silky, and you can drink it now at only three years of age! Of course, its best years are to come, but a wine with this level of equilibrium at this early stage is very special indeed, not least because Sangiovese is a grape that can often look awkward and edgy in its youth. So, where does it sit in the great pantheon of Cepparello releases? As my regular readers know, I am a balance freak, and I favour wines with pin-sharp acidity offset by lusty, sumptuous fruit. This 2021 vintage ticks all the boxes, so it is easy for me to put it in the highest echelons of Cepparello’s history. If you want to own a ‘Paolo Cepparello’ that you can drink now or keep for a couple of decades, this is it. This wine is destined to become a collector’s item before we know it!
19/20 points – Matthew Jukes, May 2024
15% alcohol. This is 100% Sangiovese from Chianti Classico. First released in 1980, when you couldn’t label 100% Sangiovese as Chianti Classico, this was Paolo di Marchi’s final vintage at the helm – the property is now owned by Groupe EPI, a French private investment group who also own Piper-Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck, and since. They bought Isole e Olena in 2022, five years after purchasing Biondi Santi. This is a paradox of a wine: it weights in at 15% alcohol, but it’s still fresh and taut. Substantial and well structured with a rush of brambly black cherry fruit with some raspberry brightness as well as some liqueur-like richness and a touch of sweet spicy oak, as well as grippy tannins. So much promise here: a rich expression of Sangiovese with concentration and refinement. Give this time.
95/100 points – Jamie Goode