The 1980 I Sodi di San Niccolo is bright, perfumed and beautifully focused. The weight of the fruit has dropped out, and what remains is a very pretty, feminine wine that impresses for its grace. Bright red cherries, kirsch, flowers and spices wrap round the pointed, high-toned finish. This is a solid effort for what was a challenging vintage. Heavy rain in the spring caused an irregular flowering. The end of the growing season, September and October in particular, were quite warm. In 1980 Castellare introduced French oak for the first time, 50% new in this vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2012. Proprietor Paolo Panerai is adamant about it. Sangioveto is the correct name and spelling of Tuscany’s main indigenous red variety. Panerai is one of Italy’s most successful entrepreneurs. His publishing empire is vast and encompasses a number of journals running the gamut from Milano Finanza, an Italian version of Barron’s, to Class and other glossy lifestyle magazines. Since the late 1970s, Panerai has owned Castellare, one of the jewels of Chianti Classico. Castellare isn’t as well known as the trendiest estates in Tuscany, but the wines rarely fail to impress. The last few years have seen a marked increase in quality throughout the range, especially among the entry-level bottlings. Quality has never been an issue with the flagship I Sodi di San Niccolo, one of the true icons of Chianti Classico that remains under the radar. Fortunately for consumers, prices have yet to catch up with quality. Sodi is 85% Sangioveto and 15% Malvasia Nera from a vineyard in the heart of the estate, where the bunches are typically loose and naturally low in vigor. Today Sodi is fermented in stainless steel, then racked into concrete for the malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged 24 months in French oak barrels, roughly 50% new. Consulting oenologist Maurizio Castelli made the first vintages. Current winemaker Alessandro Cellai arrived in 1997. Readers who want to learn more about Castellare and I Sodi di San Niccolo may want to take a look at my recent video interview with Cellai. Castellare I Sodi di San Niccolo Key Points: 1. 85% Sangioveto/15% Malvasia Nera aged in French oak barrels 2. Made from a low-vigor vineyard in the heart of the property in Castellina 3. Impeccable track record of consistency and excellence 4. Aging potential: 20-30 years