2020 Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana, Tuscany

The 2020 Cepparello is dense, powerful and soaring in intensity. A dark, almost somber Cepparello, the 2020 possesses remarkable depth from start to finish. Black cherry, plum, gravel, dried herbs and lavender build in a vivid, stunningly beautiful Cepparello that hits all the right notes.

97+ Points (Vinous) - By Antonio Galloni on June 2023

My most recent visit to Isole e Olena was decidedly bittersweet. Paolo De Marchi turned out an exceptional set of 2020s, wines that are among his very best ever. However, the sale of Isole e Olena has been quite traumatic. It’s a complex subject, the result of a mix of family dynamics and the lack of an industry structure that could long-term stability. These factors are not unique to Isole e Olena but rather conditions that afflict all family-owned wineries in Italy. Personally, I would like to see more long-term thinking in Italy, but that is not typically part of the cultural construct here. New owners EPI Group, who also own Biondi-Santi, will surely put their own stamp on things. Obviously, it is much too early to know where things will go. Right now, I can only advise Isole e Olena fans to snap up the 2020s, as they are magical.