Only in its fifth vintage, this single vineyard has already swooped fantastic accolades. It is a pioneer of Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, a game changer aiming to be the purest expression of Sangiovese ever made. Only 4,500 bottles are produced on average each year (Sassicaia makes 180,000 bottles), making it a collector dream. It is in-deed a Tuscan Wine Legend in the Making, as stated in Decanter magazine.
Ipsus’ project started in 2006 when the Mazzei family bought a plot of land ‘Il Caggio’ from a neighbour. The wines produced here quickly surpassed their expectation, especially when sourced from a vineyard named ‘The Clos’. As a result, 25th generation Giovanni Mazzei decided to create a vibrant Sangiovese with great purity and a sense of place, hence the name Ipsus meaning itself.
'My family's passion has always been about making emotive, complex fine wines. With IPSUS, I wanted to go beyond, and take the bounty of nature and our ancient expertise to create a pure and exquisite expression of Sangiovese that showcases the wondrous terroir of the region that I'm so proud to be a part of. I want Ipsus to be electric, vibrant, and the tannins to be silky and elegant’ - Giovanni Mazzei
The first task was to precisely identify the cooler plots of the land. Then, select the most suitable Sangiovese clones which derive from half a century of research. As a result, six plots have been chosen to make Ipsus. Once harvested, grapes are split into 16-18 micro-vinifications, fermented in a combination of stainless steel and large oak casks with careful maceration.
In 2020, after years of hard work, Giovanni decided to release the first vintage, 2015, as a Chianti Classico Gran Selezione. Ipsus made its debut swooping great scores from international wine critics and was referred to as a modern Italian Cru. Between 4,000 and 5,000 bottles are usually made.
Giovanni Mazzei’s personal project Ipsus is a wonderful exercise in transparency, showcasing the glorious potential of Sangiovese from Mazzei’s small hillside estate in Castellina-in- Chianti. The 2018 is an absolute stunner (I awarded it a rare 99 points earlier this year) while the new 2019 is darker and bolder but with the most beautiful floral fragrance and some funky purple and pomegranate-like fruit. There’s a chance this could be even better than the 2018 – only time will tell. - James Button, Editor’s Pick, Decanter November 2023
Each vintage surpasses the previous one, with the latest release receiving a double 100 points from Jane Anson and The Drinks Business as well as 99 points from James Suckling. It is fair to say this masterpiece is on its path to become a legend.
What do people say about Ipsus: Press releases
Ipsus Scores: Ratings across vintages