2016 Mazzei Family Il Caggio Estate Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Ipsus

‘Great vintage with lovely September and diurnal variation.’ Aged 24 months in tonneaux (70% new) and 15-hl barrel and 5 months in concrete, then 24 months in bottle before release. TA 6.2 g/l, pH 3.32. Lots more on the nose than the 2015, with real, intense Sangiovese character. Strong bonfire aroma, with a sweet, flattering, spicy palate. Then dry, intense essence of tanginess on the finish. Super-elegant and neat with nicely managed tannins. Firmer than the 2018 and 2019. (JR)

The Caggio 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Ipsus is a lovely expression of Sangiovese. The wine captures the slightly wild and untamed side of the grape that is so compelling, but it also focuses on elegance and nuance. On first nose, the bouquet reveals plenty of forest berry and wild cherry, but as you come back to the glass for a second and third try, you might notice more determined notes of crushed stone and granite. The wine is lean and streamlined with pretty floral embellishments over a long and silky finish. More than anything, Ipsus captures the purity and honesty of Sangiovese over a delicately polished and lean mouthfeel.

The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Ipsus is the second vintage from the Mazzei family’s Caggio property in Castellina. Soaring aromatics immediately announce a Sangiovese of real distinction and class. There is something wild and alluring about Ipsus that is hard to describe. It is at once incredibly polished and yet also quite assertive. Crushed flowers, cherry, pomegranate, blood orange, star anise and cinnamon add layers of exoticism as the 2016 opens in the glass. The 2016 is deep, full of character and incredibly persistent. If there is anything missing, it is a touch of freshness. Perhaps 32 months of aging (24 in tonneaux and 8 in cement) is a bit too much. Time will ultimately tell. This ambitious new wine from Mazzei is certainly going to be fascinating to follow.