In This Newsletter:
Isole e Olena
&
Vinopolis Close-Out Featurette: Waris-Hubert
Isole e Olena
Your Three-Day Discount Starts Now
Isole e Olena
&
Vinopolis Close-Out Featurette: Waris-Hubert
Isole e Olena
Your Three-Day Discount Starts Now
Chianti is undergoing a rebirth that is decades in the making. Given its disastrous association with straw-wrapped bottles (did “fiasco” refer to the jug or the wine within?), for a while it was best known for causing serious winemakers to flee to the hills or to drop the appellation name altogether just to be able to make something better. Lucky for us, that rebirth is just hitting its stride.
Paolo de Marchi, owner of Isole e Olena since taking over from his father in 1976, is one such serious winemaker. Yet unlike most renegades who took to experimenting with Bordeaux varietals along the Tuscan coast, he wanted to create a wine that centered Sangiovese. Back then, Chianti regulations stipulated that a certain proportion of white grapes be included in red wines.
In 1980, de Marchi released his first vintage of Cepparello, a 100% Sangiovese wine. He bottled it under the broad category of “vino da tavola”, as did other early “Super Tuscans” such as Sassicaia. You could say he foresaw that what Chianti needed wasn’t more grapes (French or white) but instead a more focused approach on what makes the region great. And de Marchi knew that that was Sangiovese.
Isole e Olena’s Chianti Classico and flagship Cepparello are both firmly rooted in the primacy of Sangiovese and the idea of Tuscan typicity. Both wines show the nuance and bright fruit you’d expect from a classic wine of the region combined with the density and complexity of top-tier, noble wines.
Today, at the top of the Chianti range, there is a new category: the Gran Selezione. This is a longer-aged wine than even Chianti Classico Riservas. Isole e Olena’s is a barrel selection of Cepparello, a Cepparello Riserva if you will. And in the 2015 vintage, it ranks among the greatest wines produced in all of Tuscany.
This is not to say that de Marchi is opposed to “international” (aka French) varieties. Instead, perhaps, it would be more apt to describe him as focused on single-varietal wines as a way to express his winery’s terroir. Elegant and polished, his 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah wines are top class examples that can stand their grown against the finest triple-digit examples from France or California.
Paolo de Marchi, owner of Isole e Olena since taking over from his father in 1976, is one such serious winemaker. Yet unlike most renegades who took to experimenting with Bordeaux varietals along the Tuscan coast, he wanted to create a wine that centered Sangiovese. Back then, Chianti regulations stipulated that a certain proportion of white grapes be included in red wines.
In 1980, de Marchi released his first vintage of Cepparello, a 100% Sangiovese wine. He bottled it under the broad category of “vino da tavola”, as did other early “Super Tuscans” such as Sassicaia. You could say he foresaw that what Chianti needed wasn’t more grapes (French or white) but instead a more focused approach on what makes the region great. And de Marchi knew that that was Sangiovese.
Isole e Olena’s Chianti Classico and flagship Cepparello are both firmly rooted in the primacy of Sangiovese and the idea of Tuscan typicity. Both wines show the nuance and bright fruit you’d expect from a classic wine of the region combined with the density and complexity of top-tier, noble wines.
Today, at the top of the Chianti range, there is a new category: the Gran Selezione. This is a longer-aged wine than even Chianti Classico Riservas. Isole e Olena’s is a barrel selection of Cepparello, a Cepparello Riserva if you will. And in the 2015 vintage, it ranks among the greatest wines produced in all of Tuscany.This is not to say that de Marchi is opposed to “international” (aka French) varieties. Instead, perhaps, it would be more apt to describe him as focused on single-varietal wines as a way to express his winery’s terroir. Elegant and polished, his 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah wines are top class examples that can stand their grown against the finest triple-digit examples from France or California.
5% off any 3-5 in-stock wines from Isole e Olena
10% off any 6 or more in-stock wines from Isole e Olena
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Sunday, June 23rd at 9 am Pacific.
10% off any 6 or more in-stock wines from Isole e Olena
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Sunday, June 23rd at 9 am Pacific.
We offer nine wines from Isole e Olena, including:
Isole e Olena Collezione Privata Cabernet Sauvignon Toscana IGT 2015 750ml Displayed Price: $66, that’s $62.70 at 5% off and $59.40 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95+ points “The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Collezione Privata opens to an enriched appearance with round fruit and loads of deep intensity. What is remarkable about this Tuscan Cabernet Sauvignon (blended with very small parts of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot) is that it shows none of the greenness or tightness often associated with the grape. This warm and sunny vintage has ironed out any wrinkles and contributes to the loose, rich fabric of the wine. This wine shows lushness and balanced integration. It’s a lovely expression whose berry and forest endnotes make it perfect for a rosemary and garlic roasted lamb. Only 6,000 bottles were made.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Isole e Olena Collezione Privata Cabernet Sauvignon Toscana IGT 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 16 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 97 points “Lots of blackcurrants and currant bush with some graphite and black ink on the nose. Full-bodied with a chewy and polished tannin backbone and lots of blue fruit and stones in the finish. Sandalwood and violets, too. Great structure at the end. Give this time to soften. Try after 2025, but will age for a long time.”
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 96 points “The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Collezione Privata is another stellar wine in this range from Isole e Olena and Paolo De Marchi. Still pretty tightly wound, the 2018 is going to need at least a few years to fully unwind. Dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, mocha and espresso are some of the many aromas and flavors that start to open with a bit of aeration. The Isole Cabernet has a brilliant track record of aging. I expect the 2018 will one day take its place among the very finest editions.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT 2017 1.5L Displayed Price: $169, that’s $160.55 at 5% off and $152.10 at 10% off, 20 magnums in stock nowIsole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT 2017 3L Displayed Price: $379, that’s $360.05 at 5% off and $341.10 at 10% off, 3 double-magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 97 points “The 2017 Cepparello is another in a series of stunningly beautiful Cepparellos from Paolo de Marchi. Bright and beautifully focused in the glass, with tremendous depth, the 2017 is positively stellar from the very first taste. Succulent dark cherry, plum, licorice, spice, menthol and coffee all open up with a bit of air. Here, too, Paolo De Marchi has done a tremendous job in preserving freshness in the wine. Readers who can muster the patience will be rewarded with a spectacular wine.”
James Suckling 95 points “A beautifully linear and refined sangiovese with polished tannins and super tight fruit. Yet, it shows subtle complexity of blackberries, black cherries and dark chocolate. Some hazelnuts. Intense, vibrant finish with a creamy texture. Extremely well done for this hot, dry vintage. Drink after 2023.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today for the magnum!
The next best price is $220.99
This is the only listing in the USA today for the double-magnum!
The next best price is $220.99
This is the only listing in the USA today for the double-magnum!
Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT 2019 1.5L Displayed Price: $219, that’s $208.05 at 5% off and $197.10 at 10% off, 2 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 96 points “The 2019 Cepparello is super-impressive, even though it has just been bottled. Ample and creamy, with its classic sense of mid-weight structure, the 2019 has so much to offer. Silky tannins wrap around a core of red/purplish berry fruit. New leather, spice and a hint of oak meld together effortlessly in the glass. I can’t wait to check in on it in another 6-12 months or so. The 2019 is shaping up to be positively stellar. Drink: 2027-2049. (Sep 2021)”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Isole e Olena Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany 2017 1.5L Displayed Price: $49, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off, 5 magnums in stock now
Decanter 93 points “It is strange to see a bright red wine, and to smell ripe pinky-yellow peach. But I am told that peach is not such an unusual note for the Sangiovese from this hillcrest, along which the great estates Isole e Olena, Paneretta and Monsanto sit, looking out towards the Tyrrhenian sea. Winemaker Paolo de Marchi is a great fan of the native Canaiolo Nero and blends in 15%, contributing a black/violet colour, breadth, softness and spice to balance the austerity of Sangiovese. A consistently excellent wine.’
James Suckling 93 points “A very pretty 2017 Chianti Classico with a beautiful core of ripe fruit and layers of round, lightly chewy tannins. Dark cherries, walnuts and chocolate. Drink or hold.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Isole e Olena Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ml Displayed Price: $219, that’s $208.05 at 5% off and $197.10 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 96+ points “The 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, essentially a selection of the best barrels of Cepparello, is a gorgeous wine. More than anything, the 2015 is remarkable considering the challenges of a growing season in which rain during harvest created significant challenges. Nevertheless, Paolo De Marchi coaxed all of the potential out of his vines in 2015, adding a good dollop of Petit Verdot to the Sangiovese in crafting the Gran Selezione. Dense, powerful and beautifully textured, with intense underpinnings of saline minerality. The 2015 has a brilliant future, but it won’t see the light until fall 2020 at the very earliest.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Isole e Olena Collezione Privata Syrah Toscana IGT 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $75, that’s $71.25 at 5% off and $67.50 at 10% off, 30 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 95 points “The 2019 Syrah Colleziore Privara is quite delicate and silky in this vintage, with a distinctly red-fruited profile that is unusual. Spice, orange peel, dried flowers and white pepper lend brightness to a Syrah that is both deep and light on its feet. I especially admire the vibrancy here.”
Shop our nine selections from Isole e Olena on sale now on our webstore!
Vinopolis Close-Out Sale Featurette:
Last Call for Waris-Hubert’s Elegant Champagne
This wine is a family affair. In 1997 two fourth generation growers from the Côte des Blancs, Stéphanie Hubert and Olivier Waris, were married. They merged their estates together to create the Waris-Hubert estate, with vineyards in the villages of Avize, Oger, Cramant, Chouilly and Aÿ, all classified “Grand Cru.”
Imported by the Seysses family (best known for Dujac in Burgundy), themselves a huge presence in the world of French wines, we are proud to present these pedigreed Champagnes with a true sense of place.
In Stock and On Sale Now:
Waris-Hubert Blanche Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut Millesime, Champagne 2012 750ml Was $79, Now $69 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Sorting Table importer note “To the eye, a luminous champagne, wrapped in a yellow robe with pronounced golden highlights. The first scents encompass the universe of herbal and garrigue flowers like lime blossom, eucalyptus and mint. Then, they give way to exotic fruits: pineapple, lychee and mango. On the palate the wine is tender and voluptuous. This gives it a silky, full-bodied dimension, thanks to yellow peach and apricot flavors. It is a profound wine with fine harmony and perfect balance. The heady complexity of the 2012 vintage is perfectly expressed in this 2012 Blanche Millésime Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs from Waris-Hubert.”
Waris-Hubert ‘Lilyale’ Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Zero Dosage, Champagne NV 750ml Was $59, Now $49 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Sorting Table importer note “Pale golden colour with intense glints of emerald green. Fine and lively effervescence; lasting beads of bubbles. The aromas are elegant and expressive with a floral and springlike tone. Notes of lime blossom, mint and freshly mown grass develop, which evolve to white fruit and fresh Mirabelle plum. The scent of Viennese pastries and brioche fill the senses. The palate is full and with a rich attack. Firm and powerful. Dense in the evolution phase with lively lemon flavors, complimented by minerality and hints of wild citrus fruits. It’s the purity, and elegance of the chardonnay grand cru of the Côte des Blancs. Elegant and expressive.”
From the village of Avize, Oger, and Cramant; 35-year-old vines on calcareous clay.
Imported by the Seysses family (best known for Dujac in Burgundy), themselves a huge presence in the world of French wines, we are proud to present these pedigreed Champagnes with a true sense of place.
In Stock and On Sale Now:
Waris-Hubert Blanche Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut Millesime, Champagne 2012 750ml Was $79, Now $69 special, 3 bottles in stock now
Sorting Table importer note “To the eye, a luminous champagne, wrapped in a yellow robe with pronounced golden highlights. The first scents encompass the universe of herbal and garrigue flowers like lime blossom, eucalyptus and mint. Then, they give way to exotic fruits: pineapple, lychee and mango. On the palate the wine is tender and voluptuous. This gives it a silky, full-bodied dimension, thanks to yellow peach and apricot flavors. It is a profound wine with fine harmony and perfect balance. The heady complexity of the 2012 vintage is perfectly expressed in this 2012 Blanche Millésime Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs from Waris-Hubert.”
Waris-Hubert ‘Lilyale’ Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Zero Dosage, Champagne NV 750ml Was $59, Now $49 special, 1 bottle in stock now
Sorting Table importer note “Pale golden colour with intense glints of emerald green. Fine and lively effervescence; lasting beads of bubbles. The aromas are elegant and expressive with a floral and springlike tone. Notes of lime blossom, mint and freshly mown grass develop, which evolve to white fruit and fresh Mirabelle plum. The scent of Viennese pastries and brioche fill the senses. The palate is full and with a rich attack. Firm and powerful. Dense in the evolution phase with lively lemon flavors, complimented by minerality and hints of wild citrus fruits. It’s the purity, and elegance of the chardonnay grand cru of the Côte des Blancs. Elegant and expressive.”
From the village of Avize, Oger, and Cramant; 35-year-old vines on calcareous clay.
We offer 198 wines on our Close-Out Sale in stock now. Shop the sale on our webstore now!
Don’t miss our additional sales going on now:
Racines
5% off any 3-5 in-stock wines from Racines
10% off any 6 or more in-stock wines from Racines
Molitor in Kinheim
5% off any 4-8 in-stock Molitor selections from Kinheim
10% off any 9 or more in-stock Molitor selections from Kinheim
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Racines sale ends Friday, June 21st at 9 am Pacific. Molitor in Kinheim sale ends Saturday, June 22nd at 9 am Pacific.