2007 I Sodi di San Nicolo

The 2007 I Sodi di San Niccolo saturates the palate with masses of rich, dark fruit. The 2007 is very much a product of the year. Warm, open and resonant, the 2007 is one of the bigger wines made at Castellare over the last three decades. There is an immediacy that is quite appealing, but the wine’s bombastic personality needs some time to settle down. Although delicious today, the 2007 should also age quite well based on its sheer opulence. It is best cellared for at least a few years. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032. Proprietor Paolo Panerai is adamant about it. Sangioveto is the correct name and spelling of Tuscany’s main indigenous red variety. Panerai is one of Italy’s most successful entrepreneurs. His publishing empire is vast and encompasses a number of journals running the gamut from Milano Finanza, an Italian version of Barron’s, to Class and other glossy lifestyle magazines. Since the late 1970s, Panerai has owned Castellare, one of the jewels of Chianti Classico. Castellare isn’t as well known as the trendiest estates in Tuscany, but the wines rarely fail to impress. The last few years have seen a marked increase in quality throughout the range, especially among the entry-level bottlings. Quality has never been an issue with the flagship I Sodi di San Niccolo, one of the true icons of Chianti Classico that remains under the radar. Fortunately for consumers, prices have yet to catch up with quality. Sodi is 85% Sangioveto and 15% Malvasia Nera from a vineyard in the heart of the estate, where the bunches are typically loose and naturally low in vigor. Today Sodi is fermented in stainless steel, then racked into concrete for the malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged 24 months in French oak barrels, roughly 50% new. Consulting oenologist Maurizio Castelli made the first vintages. Current winemaker Alessandro Cellai arrived in 1997. Readers who want to learn more about Castellare and I Sodi di San Niccolo may want to take a look at my recent video interview with Cellai. Castellare I Sodi di San Niccolo Key Points: 1. 85% Sangioveto/15% Malvasia Nera aged in French oak barrels 2. Made from a low-vigor vineyard in the heart of the property in Castellina 3. Impeccable track record of consistency and excellence 4. Aging potential: 20-30 years

The 2007 I Sodi di San Niccolò is a massive yet seamless wine loaded with dark fruit. It possesses striking energy and textural richness, but those qualities will require some time to emerge. At times the 2007 shows signs of opening, but the underlying tannic material is quite substantial and dominant right now. A final blast of dark red fruit teases on the finish. The 2007 I Sodi is 85% Sangioveto and 15% Malvasia Nera aged in French oak barrels. It remains arguably the most under the radar of Tuscany's truly great wines.