"Cepparello 2021 is Paolo De Marchi's swansong vintage – and he's gone out on a high. Vibrant and vertical, tangy and bright, it introduces a complexity of fresh, sour and dried cherries with some peppery spice. This more poised, fresh and balanced direction is becoming a signature of the region's best wines and – just as in the years after he took over from his father's winery in 1976 – Paolo has demonstrated that he is still in the vanguard."

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"Intense and floral wine, full of restrained aromas, such as potpourri, together with vibrant red cherries, licorice, bergamot and lightly balsamic depth. The firm tannins and full body provide a velvety and extracted texture. Powerful wine, yet tight-knit and super polished. Refreshing with a tense, fruity finish. Super classic. Drink or hold."

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"Plum, cherry and pomegranate fruit is framed by notes of toasty oak and mineral in this lively, succulent red, which shows plenty of energy."

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"One of Tuscany's flagship wines, the Isole e Olena 2021 Cepparello immediately delivers ripe fruit flavors that are firm, even crunchy, and that bodes well for the future evolution of this classic vintage. The wine is packed with tart fruit flavors followed by balanced acidity. Compared to past vintages that are more extracted and dense, this edition is delightfully bright and transparent. I appreciation the age-worthy direction Cepparello is taking."

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"In this vintage Cepparello shows very restrained notes of red cherries, dried violets and a lot of stony minerality. There is a meaty and savory character in depth. Overall very precise and integrated. Velvety tannins dominate the palate, showing a chalky texture, even dusty, with a full body, amazing concentration and very refreshing acidity. The finish is brightly focused on cherry pits. A good wine for the long haul. Possibly one of the best Cepparello ever. Best after 2031."

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"The 2021 Cepparello is a reticent, tightly wound wine, despite its mid-weight structure. Today, the 2021 comes across as quite nervy and lean, even for young Cepparello. It will be interesting to see if this comes together with a bit more time in bottle. I very much like the energy here, but the 2021 is decidedly austere."

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"Controlled power, the excellent 2020 Isole e Elena Cepparello elevated wine enjoyment to a new place. This wine offers a blend of red and black fruits, complemented by alluring oak and satisfying textures. Serve it with an English-style Prime Rib and don't forget the Yorkshire Pudding"

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"Smoky and austere wine with a restrained nose of dark cherries allied to assertive bergamot and slightly chocolatey depth. Full-bodied with a smooth attack, then dense and velvety with a vibrant and energetic palate. Juicy and toasty in the aftertaste. Drink or hold."

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"The 2020 Cepparello is a total stunner, just as it was last year. Deeply colored, layered and explosive in the glass, the 2020 possesses striking textural richness and overall intensity. Black cherry, graphite, plum, spice and lavender flesh out effortlessly. There's tremendous pedigree and sheer stature here. Cepparello is surely one of the wines of the year."

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"Expressive and sumptuous from the get-go, this red features cherry, strawberry, rose, orange peel, mineral and Tuscan herb aromas and flavors. Sangiovese. Best from 2025 through 2045. 4,800 cases made, 800 cases imported."

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"96 points
Expressive and sumptuous from the get-go, this red features cherry, strawberry, rose, orange peel, mineral and Tuscan herb aromas and flavors. Sangiovese. Best from 2025 through 2045. 4,800 cases made, 800 cases imported."

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"Supple and smooth, the 2020 Cepparello brings Sangiovese to soaring heights in a manner only Paolo De Marchi can manage. This is his second to last vintage before he would retire and sell this historic estate. The wine opens to medium to full-bodied concentration with dark plum and redcurrant. Those cede to sweet spice, earth, crushed stone, rusty nail and candied orange peel. Give the wine more time to flesh out with cellar age. It registers a powerful 15% alcohol content."

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"Dark ruby. Enticing, lifted, rich cherry laced with the perfect dose of oak. Polished, full, concentrated and supple on the palate; suave and long, with finely ground tannins woven into the succulent fruit. Quite rich and full-bodied on the finish and clearly a very ambitious wine, but could do with a little more of Sangiovese’s bite. That may come with more age."

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"A long, hot summer with good day and nighttime temperature variations led to an even ripening. Balsamic and medicinal tones introduce a bright, chewy cherry palate with wood and spice notes. Earth and pomegranate touches emerge towards the finish, framed by ripe, grippy tannins and good acidity. Still very youthful, it will improve with age but seems to lack a little bit of the intensity seen in the 2019."

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"Savory, almost meaty profile in this vintage, with lush red cherries and blood oranges, as well as balsamic depth with a kind of pine-resin character. Full-bodied, it shows density and extraction with ripe fruit and a clean, powerful finish. Super fresh aftertaste. Drink or hold"

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"One of the icon wines of Tuscany, the Isole e Olena 2019 Cepparello is all Sangiovese crafted by the loving hands of a winemaking legend, the great Paolo De Marchi (who finalized the sale of his beloved estate when this wine hit the market). Indeed, this wine opens a discussion on the future of this celebrated IGT Toscana, a wine that followed a strict vision and style under De Marchi. It is elegant and rich with fine aromas of black and purple fruit. It ferments in oak and ages in French barrique for 20 months, with one-third new oak. With 58,000 bottles released, this is a sure candidate for long cellar aging."

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"The weather in 2019 was beautiful, with a hot, even summer with no temperature spikes, continuing into September with high variation between daytime and nighttime temperatures. Fragrant potpourri and medicinal aromas are reminiscent of the 2006, while the textured palate features pure, ripe cherry with some damp earth and even an umami hint of mushroom, cut through by bright acidity. Lively and dimensional, it's still in its youthful phase but should be superb once it's had time to grow into itself."

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