2016 Castellare di Castellina "I Sodi di San Niccolò" Toscana (1.5L)
SKU #1544114
98 points
Vinous
Castellare's I Sodi di San Niccolò is the single most overlooked high-end wine in Tuscany today. The 2016 picks up where the 2015 left off. A rush of inky dark fruit, lavender, spice, licorice, gravel, blueberry and menthol builds as the 2016 shows off its exceptional balance and pedigree. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2016 needs a few years in bottle to fully come together. Even so, the 2016 has been nothing less than spectacular on the two occasions I have tasted it so far. In a word: monumental. (AG)
(9/2020)
96 points
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This is a true beauty and a wine that makes a lasting impact. I came back to my opened bottle some 24 hours later, and the wine tasted even better. It shows enormous purity and focus, with specific aromas that remind you of its Tuscan origins. Those aromas are very Mediterranean in character with rosemary and crushed lavender, followed by wild cherry, dried raspberry and cassis. The tannins are elegant and finely integrated, and the wine leaves nothing but long, polished sensations behind. This is one of the best vintages of I Sodi di S. Niccolò I have encountered in 20 years. (ML) 96+
(3/2021)
96 points
Wine Spectator
The initial impression is the charred, sweet oaky aromas, then aeration quickly reveals black cherry, plum, leather, tobacco, wild herb and iron flavors. There is a certain austerity here too, accentuated by the dense, dusty tannins, yet this is complex, balanced and long, with an acetic feel to the lingering finish. Be patient. (BS)
(12/2020)
95 points
James Suckling
A full, layered red with blueberry and blackberry character and hints of walnuts. It’s rich and juicy. Very tight style with depth and polish at the end. Still needs time to open. Try after 2022.
(7/2020)