1996 Siepi
Opzioni di acquisto
Note di degustazione
Our library bottle of the Mazzei 1996 Siepi was not as badly oxidized as the 1995 sample tasted, but nor was it intact. This blend of Merlot and Sangiovese shows a flatter bouquet, with dried sensations and dusty spice. There is a moment of interesting saltiness or minerality—a factor that always seems to define this important Tuscan blend. You need to dig a bit harder to uncover the interesting parts of this wine, but they are buried in there at the back.
Punteggi della critica
Punteggio medio
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
Jancis Robinson MW
Altre recensioni e punteggi
Full bottle 1,257 g. Alcohol: 13.9%. Early growing season and a very dry summer. Rainy September but a good October. Harvest: hand-picked starting from 14 September (Merlot), from 1 October (Sangiovese). Fermentation temperature: 28–30 °C. Period of maceration: 16 days (Merlot), 18 days (Sangiovese). Ageing: 15–16 months in small (225-litre) French oak barrels. Bottling: July 1998. Production: 32,000 bottles. First bottle, tasted 31 July 2021: Dark transparent ruby shading to a rust-coloured rim. Nose is slightly oxidised. Was the fruit just a bit too ripe and dusty? It contrasts with the freshness of the 1994 fruit, for example. Just too old for most wine lovers, I would think, but I do know some who would treasure it's extreme, ahem, 'maturity'. Second bottle, tasted 2 September 2021: Deep, dark garnet. Much fresher nose than the first bottle. Fully mature, tertiary notes that are very slightly reminiscent of the aromas you get on a supremely mature vintage port, but without the alcohol or the sugar. This is really a rather glorious wine and I can quite see why they wanted to send a substitute bottle. Velvety textured with great complexity – richness and that balsam streak – with a wonderfully satisfying undertow and a very long finish. One of my favourites of the whole lot. Quite fresh enough on the end too. Glorious! (JR)