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The January 2024 Auction: Part 3
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1 / 2Lot 951
Estimate: $850
High shoulder, chipped capsule, lightly scuffed label.
This auction has ended. Bidding is closed.
Collection name
Reviews
97WA
"The 1990 I Sodi di San Niccolo is flat-out great. It boasts tremendous concentration, power and richness. The 1990 can be enjoyed today, but readers who like fully mature wines will want to cellar this for another few years. A blast of dark cherries, flowers and licorice saturates the palate on the huge, building finish. This is a dazzling and marvelously complete wine from Castellare . . . . Since the late 1970s, Panerai has owned Castellare, one of the jewels of Chianti Classico. Castellare isnât 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."
Region
Red
Country
Score
"The 1990 I Sodi di San Niccolo is flat-out great. It boasts tremendous concentration, power and richness. The 1990 can be enjoyed today, but readers who like fully mature wines will want to cellar this for another few years. A blast of dark cherries, flowers and licorice saturates the palate on the huge, building finish. This is a dazzling and marvelously complete wine from Castellare . . . . Since the late 1970s, Panerai has owned Castellare, one of the jewels of Chianti Classico. Castellare isnât 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."
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Italy grows more indigenous grape varieties than any other country and produces wine in all 20 of its regions. From Piedmont's Nebbiolo to Tuscany's Sangiovese, its finest wines pair structure and bright acidity with a strong sense of place.
The heartland of Sangiovese, producing Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino and the Cabernet-influenced 'Super Tuscans' of the coast. Its wines balance bright acidity, savory structure and cellar-worthiness.
Tuscany's signature red, giving high-acid, savory wines of sour cherry, herbs and firm tannin. It is the backbone of Chianti, Brunello and many Super Tuscans.