Mazzei Castello di Fonterutoli "Siepi" Toscana IGT 2018
(Tuscany, Italy) - [JS 97] [VM 97] [F 96] [WA 95] [DM 95] [WS 94]

About the Wine:
Mazzei Siepi 2018 is a Toscana IGT blend of 50% Sangiovese and 50% Merlot from the historic Siepi site at Castello di Fonterutoli. The property has belonged to the Mazzei family since 1435; the wine debuted with the 1992 vintage.

Vineyard:
The vineyard lies in Castellina in Chianti at approximately 260 meters, with south to southwest exposure and predominantly Alberese limestone soils. The producer's 2018 sheet lists vines aged 20-33 years, trained with spur cordon and Guyot.

Winemaking:
The two varieties are harvested and vinified separately. The producer lists stainless-steel fermentation at 26-28°C, followed by 18 months in French oak, 70% new: barriques for Merlot and larger tonneaux for Sangiovese. Four months in concrete complete maturation before bottling in June 2020. Galloni's full review below records his own details of the 2018 maturation.

Tasting Profile:
Violet, ripe plum and dark berries meet cedar, sandalwood and savory spice. Merlot supplies plush texture while Sangiovese contributes freshness and structure, with polished tannins and a persistent finish.

Food Pairings:
Pair with richly flavored dishes, dark sauces, game or blue cheeses.

Ratings & Reviews

97 Points – James Suckling:
"Extremely perfumed and crystal-clear with violets, plums, raspberries, walnuts and black olives. It’s medium-to full-bodied with very fine tannins that are extremely polished and refined. The length is long and very precise. Chocolate and hazelnuts. This is the 25th anniversary of this fine merlot and sangiovese. Hard not to drink now, but better after 2022." (Sep 2020)

97 Points – Vinous Media:
"Siepi, Fonterutoli’s Merlot/Sangiovese blend, is absolutely gorgeous in 2018. Rich, pliant and creamy, Siepi offers all of the seductiveness of Merlot with the bright acids and grip of Sangiovese. Inky blue/purplish fruit, lavender, dried herbs, spice, licorice and new leather meld together in an open-knit, inviting Tuscan red with no hard edges and tons of allure shaped by alberese soils with a good bit of clay. The 2018 is an undeniably sexy wine with so much immediacy.

Siepi (the wine) is built on a core of holdings from Siepi, a historic property dating back to the 1400s, plus holdings from the broader Fonterutoli estate. Merlot and Sangiovese lots are harvested, vinified and aged separately. The 2018 saw long macerations 20 or more days, followed by 16-17 months in French oak, with preference for 225L barrels for Merlot and larger 500L tonneaux for the Sangiovese, which also spent a bit less time in oak. The final blend was assembled and then the wine spent 5-6 months in cement, a recent change made for the first time in 2017 that really seems to let the purity of the fruit come out. The 2018 is positively stellar and also one of the very best editions in recent memory. Don’t miss it. (Drinking window: 2026–2043.)" – Antonio Galloni (Feb 2021)

96 Points – Falstaff:
"Bright ruby colour with a purple shimmer. Truly expressive nose of cassis and blackberry with balsamic notes in the background. Very precise on the palate, showing tons of fresh black cherry. Polished with finely-woven tannin, smooth texture on the finish." – Othmar Kiem & Simon Staffler (Feb 2021)

95 Points – Wine Advocate:
"The Mazzei 2018 Siepi is extremely linear and focused, with a pretty mineral signature that makes a nice segue to red and purple fruit, spice and blue flower. Francesco and Filippo Mazzei tell me that they consider this one of their most "gastronomic" or food-friendly vintages of Siepi, a celebrated blend of equal parts Merlot and Sangiovese. These two grapes complement each other beautifully, with the French grape adding dimension and depth and the Italian grape showing a lifted or buoyant quality to the bouquet. This was a healthy production of an ample 38,000 bottles released. It could pair with a classic Tuscan dish of pappardelle in a slowly simmered wild boar sauce. Drinking Window: 2022-2038." – Monica Larner (Apr 2022)

95 Points – Decanter Magazine:
"There is a sweetness here that is enveloping and seductive with baked earth undertones set against raspberry, plum, black cherry and sandalwood. Soft and caressing tannins, where the grace and aromatic power of Sangiovese is given a satiny texture and enveloping mouthfeel by the Merlot. A brilliant wine that has an identity and a sense of place. First vintage 1992. Located in Chianti Classico, the estate has a 60ha forest that practices sustainable agro-forestry and is more than carbon neutral, in fact having a positive carbon balance where the estate absorbs five times as much CO2 as it emits. 70% new oak. (Drinking window: 2022–2042.)" – Jane Anson (Aug 2020)

94 Points – Wine Spectator:
"Black currant, black cherry and cedar aromas and flavors are attractive, while the supple texture and integrated structure add to the appeal. Balanced and open, this is ready to enjoy, yet has the structure to age as well. Sangiovese and Merlot. Drink now through 2036. 5,000 cases made, 250 cases imported." – Bruce Sanderson (Aug 2021)