The 2018 Sammarco is brilliant. Bright and explosive, with tons of linear drive, the 2018 is exceptionally polished. Cabernet Sauvignon is up to 80% of the blend, and that very much comes through in a wine endowed with tremendous purity. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, sage, mint and blood orange all race across the palate. I love the freshness here.  

98 POINTS ANTONIO GALLONI

95 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

93 POINTS WINE SPECTATOR

Rampolla is located in the heart of the Conca d’Oro, a bowl shaped valley below Panzano and recognised as one of Italy’s greatest terroirs. The land here has been in the family since 1739, but vines were not planted until the end of the 1960s, when Alceo di Napoli Rampolla inherited the estate.

In the late 1970’s, Alceo, with the help of Giacomo Tachis (who created Sassicaia), planted the first Cabernet vines and in 1980 the first vintage of the now legendary Sammarco was made. Biodynamic since 1994, the estate is run by Alceo’s children Luca and Maurizia and in 1996 Vigna d’Alceo was added, a highly concentrated biodynamic Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot blend.

Winemaking is very natural and virtually no sulphur is used, indeed in most vintages since 2010, an IGT Sangiovese has been made, fermented and aged in amphorae and with no added sulphur, whilst Luca is also currently experimenting with orange wines. In all there are 42 hectares of vineyards producing 12,000 cases in an average

Pairing Suggestions: Beef, Venison and Wild Boar

Maturation: 3 months: concrete tanks. 12-15 months: tonneaux and oak barrels 12 HL no toast / medium toast. 18-24 months: bottle.