98 PTS
I mean this wine doesn’t need much introduction. It is a monumental Sangiovese, and it is one of Italy iconic label. The first vintage was 1980 and it became a legendary wine immediately. Paolo De Marchi wanted to make a statement back then, Sangiovese deserved to stand on its own, without the strict DOCG appellation requirements. Since then, this is a benchmark of the potential of this grape.
The 2021 vintage might be one of the best ever released with its thrilling combination of power and finesse. A spectrum of dark cherry, violets, leather, and sweet spice, that get balanced by tons of minerality with secondary notes of graphite and balsamic herbs.
The palate is bold but elegant, it’s a wine that force you to get back to the glass to get more aromatics.
Aged in French oak (about one-third new), this wine is a perfect balance between oak and fruit.
Cepparello isn’t just a Super Tuscan or super chianti if you will—it’s a Sangiovese masterclass.
— Orazio Campoli, March 2025
About the ProducerThough recently sold to the EPI group, Isole e Olena remains the legacy of Paolo De Marchi, one of the most important figures in Italian wine. In the western part of Chianti Classico, the estate was instrumental in removing white grapes from the Chianti blend and championing 100% Sangiovese. Its wines are celebrated for elegance, high-toned aromatics and polished tannins.
The flagship, “Cepparello”, first made in 1980, was De Marchi’s statement that Sangiovese deserved to stand on its own, outside the appellation rules of the time. It became a legend at once and remains a benchmark for the grape. The 2021 combines power and finesse: dark cherry, violets, leather and sweet spice, graphite and balsamic herbs, aged in French oak, about a third of it new.
The estate is also unusual in Chianti for growing Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, and its Chianti Classico includes a touch of Syrah, which adds colour and spice to red cherry, cedar and crushed earth.
