2014 La Ricolma

So many of Tuscany’s most famous wines achieved their vaunted status by accident. That is the case with San Guido’s Sassicaia, which for several decades was made solely for the Incisa della Rocchetta family’s home consumption. In 1978, Piero Antinori had more Cabernet Sauvignon than he needed for his Tignanello, so he bottled it separately. That wine became Solaia. Masseto was an experimental wine when it was first produced in 1986 as Il Merlot dell’Ornellaia. What about San Giusto a Rentennano’s Merlot La Ricolma? Well, it turns out La Ricolma has a pretty interesting story too. This complete vertical of La Ricolma was the first ever complete retrospective ever held at the estate.

These wines from San Giusto show what was possible in 2014 with diligent work in the vineyard, and probably a bit of good fortune too. The three top wines in 2014 – the Chianti Classico Riserva Le Baroncole, Percarlo and La Ricolma are all stunning in their beauty and purity. Not content to rest on his laurels, proprietor Luca Martini di Cigala continues to push the envelope with new vineyard developments and an approach in the cellar that increasingly relies on larger format oak. The 2015s and 2016s I tasted from barrel during my most recent visit suggest quality continues to increase, which is remarkable for an estate that is already at such a high level.