2016 Castellare I Sodi di San Niccolò Toscana IGT

“Castellare’s I Sodi di San Niccolò is the single most overlooked high-end wine in Tuscany today. The 2016 picks up where the 2015 left off. A rush of inky dark fruit, lavender, spice, licorice, gravel, blueberry and menthol builds as the 2016 shows off its exceptional balance and pedigree. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2016 needs a few years in bottle to fully come together. Even so, the 2016 has been nothing less than spectacular on the two occasions I have tasted it so far. In a word: monumental.

One of the first vertical tastings I did in Chianti Classico was a complete vertical of I Sodi di San Niccolò about fifteen years ago with proprietor Paolo Panerai and winemaker Alessandro Cellai. It was a key moment in my understanding of the region and the potential of its wines. Since then, Panerai and Cellai have scaled even greater heights. This year’s wines are tremendous. The 2018 Chianti Classico is the sort of wine readers should buy by the case. It is delicious and affordable. At the other end of the spectrum, the 2016 I Sodi di San Niccolò is truly epic. In addition to being truly magnificent, the 2016 Sodi offers unreal value in the world of high-end, cellarworthy wine. Don’t miss it.”