Castellare di Castellina I Sodi di San Niccolo 2020

The origins of Castellare di Castellina are unusual...four separate estates (Castellare, Caselle, San Niccolo and Le Case) joined together in the 1970s with the aim of pushing quality ever higher. In fact, Castellare itself was an experimental vineyard planted in collaboration with the University of Milan and the Instituto di San Michele All’Adige. The aim was to research clones of Sangiovese and understand those that were best suited to the terroir – it became the PhD research project of Professore Scienza.

The estate is situated in the heart of the Chianti Classico district, almost equidistant between Florence to the north and Siena to the south. It is an extensive estate of 80 hectares incorporating olive groves and vineyard as is often the case in Tuscany. The vineyard, which comprises limestone marl, galestro (a type of rocky schist common to many of Tuscany’s finest vineyards) and clay soils, stretches over some 33 hectares of hillside, which form a natural south-east facing amphitheatre. I was curious to find out what the name ‘sodi’ referred too; it is a Tuscan word that locals used to describe soils that were very hard to work. Perseverance has paid off here however, as the vineyard is naturally low yielding, and now, partnered with the best clones of Sangiovese, it is delivering a remarkably stylish wine.

The blend is invariably 85% Sangioveto (a synonym for Sangiovese) and 15% Malvasia Nera and it makes for a head-turning wine, showing all the ripeness you might expect in a strong Tuscan vintage, but none of the austerity that can typify young Sangiovese.