1985 San Giusto a Rentennano Percarlo

The 1985 Percarlo is spectacular. Sweet hints of tobacco, rosemary, sage and violets are some of the notes that form the kaleidoscope of aromas and flavors in the glass. Time has been extremely kind to the 1985, a wine that has aged incredibly graciously. Everything is in the right place. The 1985 boasts incredible depth and persistence for a wine of its age, although it should not be opened too far in advance. There is more than enough fruit for the 1985 to drink well for a number of years. This is the first vintage that was aged in French oak barrels. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2015. This complete vertical of Percarlo left me speechless. Brothers Luca and Francesco Martini di Cigala showed me every vintage of Percarlo, back to the inaugural 1983, a wine that has now run its full course. I was deeply struck by the consistency of the wines from year to year, and even more importantly, by the great showing of a number of wines from long forgotten vintages, proving yet again the importance of choosing producer over vintage. Percarlo started off as a selection of the estate’s best vineyards. In 2001 the Cigalas sharpened their approach by focusing on what is now literally a bunch by bunch selection across all of the fruit that comes into the winery, an approach they favor because of the huge inconsistency Sangiovese can often show from vine to vine, and even within the same cluster. I also tasted a few vintages of the Chianti Classico Le Baroncole, the top Sangiovese bottling made in vintages not deemed suitable for Percarlo. Readers who want to learn more about San Giusto and Percarlo may want to take a look at my recent video interview with proprietor Luca Martini di Cigala. San Giusto a Rentennano Percarlo Key Points: 1. 100% Sangiovese from the estate’s best vineyards in Gaiole 2. A powerful, intense expression of Sangiovese 3. Remarkably consistent, even in lesser years 4. Aging potential: 20+ years