Castello dei Rampolla Sammarco Toscana IGT Tuscany, Italy 2018
VINTAGE : 2018
COUNTRY : Italy
REGION/APPELLATION : Tuscany
VARIETALS : Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, & Sangiovese
Castello dei Rampolla has been family-run since 1739 on the same farmland in Toscana, however only in 1975 was this estates first wine release: Chianti Classico. At a time where Chianti was an afterthought of quality, Alceo di Napoli Rampolla and his winemaker Giacomo Tachis sought to change the stigma. They also were one of the firsts in Toscana to plant Cabernet Sauvignon and blend it with Sangiovese in what is now famously called a Super Tuscan. This family estate continues to pursue greatness by their Chianti Classico, Sammarco and Vigna d’Alceo bottlings that consistently receives scores from critics in the upper echelon.
Castello dei Rampolla's "Sammarco" meets the same stringent standards as some of the world's most renowned wines, such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Barolo, yet it can be acquired for less than $100, Sammarco offers an excellent economic option for Italian wine enthusiasts. Regarded as one of the pioneering "super-Tuscans," it is as venerated as Sassicaia and Tignanello. Cabernet Sauvignon is used with a Tuscan twist, providing a pleasant surprise for some. Similarly to Tignanello,Sammarco is an elegant, powerful, classically structured Cabernet grown in the limestone- The sandy loam soils of Chianti Classico set Sammarco apart, with a quality of exceptional longevity. This enticingly balanced wine evokes the distinction of both Pauillac and Brunello di Montalcino, while offering superior value compared to many more pricey bottles.
In the glass, it’s a deep, nearly opaque ruby moving to magenta at the rim, with aromas of black cherry, black currant, and cassis giving way to lots of graphite and cigar box notes. It is medium-plus in body, with lots of freshness and still-firm tannins that require a good one-plus-hour decant to soften if you decide to open a bottle now. Right now, the wine is in an earthy, ferrous, pencil-lead phase but there’s so much yet to be revealed here: In three to five years this should really start to sing.
It is an elegant and refined wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with a percentage of Sangiovese and Merlot.