2014 Cepparello

Always outspoken, Paolo De Marchi is not shy when it comes to expressing his views. For that reason, he is not really part of the 'in crowd' of owners in Chianti Classico's highly political ecosystem. But he doesn't need to be, the wines speak for themselves. These wines are simply extraordinary. The only wines that fall a bit short are the 2015s, but rain during harvest is not exactly easy to work around. De Marchi's Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is one of just a few wines that truly express what the top of the qualitative hierarchy is, while his wines from international varieties, now out of favor, remain compelling. The flagship remains the 100% Sangiovese Cepparello, which in its best vintages, is capable of developing beautifully in bottle for 25+ years.

Paolo De Marchi made one of the very finest wines of the 2014 vintage with a stunning Cepparello. De Marchi was able to push the harvest into late October and early November, which means the Sangiovese got the benefit of the warm, dry days and cool nights that arrived towards the end of the growing season, a time when the last phase of ripening took place under the gentle, shorter days of fall. There are plenty of other noteworthy wines in this collection, including the terrific 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Collezione Privata. These wines show why De Marchi and Isole e Olena occupy a spot among the world's elite wine estates.

Paolo DeMarchi continues to make some of the most compelling wines in Chianti Classico, and Italy, for that matter. These new releases span several vintages, starting with 2014, a year that was challenging at the beginning and nearly perfect towards the end of the season. The 2014 Chardonnay, Chianti Classico and Cepparello (tasted from barrel) are all terrific. Of the three most recent vintages of the flagship Cepparello, the 2013 is the most reserved. Rain during harvest presented its own challenges that year. Still, it's hard not to admire these wines. Over the years, I have witnessed first hand just how well these wines age. Like so many top producers I have met around the world, DeMarchi is brutally critical of his own wines. A relentless drive for excellence is one of many things that elevates Isole e Olena to the position it occupies.