2018 Castellare 'I Sodi di San Niccolo' Tuscany

Winemaker Notes:  Full-bodied, with firm yet fine-grained tannins, I Sodi di San Niccolò is a rich and elegant wine that offers aromas of ripe cherries, dark berries, and currants which are complemented by notes of vanilla, leather, and cedar. On the palate, this wine is full and rich with high aging potential.

Pair this wine with braised veal, demi-glaces, roasted suckling pig, and Boeuf Bourguignon.

I Sodi di San Niccolò was created in the early 1980s to demonstrate that native grapes could produce a wine with all the power and grace of a Super Tuscan. The name "I Sodi" refers to land that is difficult to till (the grapes must be hand-harvested), and "San Niccolò" is an abandoned church on the Castellare property. This wine captures both the rich history of the vineyard as well as the Sangioveto grape's enormous potential.

Blend: 85% Sangioveto, 15% Malvasia Nera

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


Antonio Galloni- "The 2018 I Sodi di San Niccolò is the most elegant Sodi I have ever tasted, and I have tasted them all. Sodi can be quite the bruiser in its youth, as the tannins are often imposing, but the 2018 is impressive because there is more than enough fruit to balance things out. Dark cherry, plum, lavender, spice and gravel build in a Sodi endowed with mind-blowing purity and exceptional finesse. Superb!" 


James Suckling - "A vibrant, balanced and fresh red with raspberries, pomegranates, cherry stones and spice box on the nose. Sleek, tight tannins. Focused, with a very fine structure and wound-up energy."


Wine Spectator - "This is marked by new oak initially, then the plum and cherry flavors shine through. Vibrant, with leather and earth elements joining in before the oak spice and tannins frame the finish. Fresh and complex, with a lot going on—just needs time"


Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "This celebrated Tuscan red is a blend of mostly Sangioveto (also known as Sangiovese) with a smaller part of Malvasia Nera. The Castellare di Castellina 2018 I Sodi di S. Niccolò shows the elegance and grace of these native grapes with aromas of red and purple fruit, cherry, wild rose and gardening soil. However, there is also a strong oak element that adds spice and toast to the bouquet and textural weight to the wine's generous build."