Podere Sapaio "Bolgheri Volpolo" 2023
(Tuscany, Italy) - [LM 95] [JS 94] [WA 94] [JD 94] [FS 92] [WS 92]

About the Winery:
Bolgheri, 1999. Here our passion for wine led to Podere Sapaio, a 40-hectare farming estate gently stretching between Castagneto Carducci and Bibbona.

Our plats of land extend over quaternary and flood deposits and consist of coarse sandy beds and draining calcareous soils.

Here we grow our vines, above all of Bordeaux origin, which have become a reference in the area over the past 50 years, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Some hectares have been dedicated to olive groves, in the varieties Fratoiano, Moraiolo, and Leccino.

About the Wine:
A Bolgheri Rosso DOC since 2004. 14 months in barrique barrels and 6 months in bottles. Like Sapaio, the name exalts the local origin of this wine by expressing respect for the vine Volpola.

Volpolo is an opulent Super Tuscan-style wine primarily composed of Cabernet Sauvignon along with a smaller quantity of Merlot and Petit Verdot. Succulent plum and dark berries dominate on the nose along with hints of warm winter spice and toast from the 14 months of ageing in French oak barrels. On the palate there is a generous full body complemented by ripe, smooth tannins and a powerful structure. A great wine to serve with hearty red meat dishes or to keep in the cellar for a few more years.

Varietal Composion:
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 15% Petit Verdot

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - Luca Maroni:
"Bolgheri at its densest and purest blackberry and violet stage in the glass of Podere Sapaio. A fleshy and tannic, yet softly harmonious Volpolo 2023, a Sapaio 2021, as always, of supreme and inviolate density, of harmonious soft-tannic suppleness, of an unoxidized, vanilla-like olfactory brilliance. Hats off." -Luca Maroni

94 Points - James Suckling:
"Firm and structured, yet with a lush and velvety flow. Aromas of succulent fruit layered with spices, cedar and walnuts. Full and broad on the palate, with a tightly framed, lingering finish. Chewy and long. From organically grown grapes. Try from 2027."

94 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 15% Petit Verdot, the organic Podere Sapaio 2023 Bolgheri Volpolo di Sapaio is a charming wine with generous layers of fruit, offering precise notes of blackcurrant and sweet plum. Oak is gently interwoven into the elegantly rich mouthfeel, adding polish without overshadowing the fruit. Fermented in stainless steel and moved into barrique for 14 months of élevage, the 2023 combines freshness and vitality. With 85,000 bottles produced, Volpolo remains a widely available and consistently expressive introduction to the Sapaio style. Drinking Window: 2026-2038." -Monica Larner (Feb 2026)

94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The 2023 Volpolo di Sapaio, a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 15% Petit Verdot, pours a deep purple hue and is immediately appealing, with aromas of blackberry, fresh plum, lavender, and Mediterranean herbs. Full-bodied, it has a creamy, polished texture balanced by fresh acidity and underlying mineral notes. Despite the challenges of the vintage, it's harmonious and expressive, with both early appeal and the structure to age. Drink 2026-2036." -Audrey Frick (May 2026)

92 Points - Falstaff:
"Rich, dense ruby purple colour. Intense and clear nose with ripe blackberries, followed by cocoa, some forest floor and leather. Very juicy fruit on the palate, well-integrated, sweetish tannins. Retronasal with preserved plums. Elegant, fruit-accentuated finish."

92 Points - Wine Spectator:
"This is stylish and elegant, sporting black currant, blackberry, earth, licorice and spice flavors. Firms up on the finish yet stays long and balanced overall. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2033."