Isola delle Falcole Vecchia Vigna Toscana 2021

Isola delle Falcole is a small, artisan producer in Chianti that is making some serious waves as a hot, new commodity on the Tuscan wine scene. This 95-point, old-vine red blend is elegant as can be and can’t be found for a better price in the U.S., making it an absolute steal!

Isola delle Falcole is a joint project between three long-time friends, headed up by Emmanuele Graetz – who just might be the best guy to know in Italy. He’s the cousin of the wildly famous Bibi Graetz – the empassioned artist turned vigneron whose Testamatta wines have turned Tuscany on its head over the last several years. And yet, Ema hails from a decidedly different world – scratching, grinding, and building his wine business from the ground up, with the sort of hustle and hard work that gives him an almost omnipresent aura. If you work in wine, anywhere from Italy to Champagne – Ema probably knows who you are.

Although he’s helped us get our hands on everything from Biondi Santi to rising star Grower Champagne – it is his own label of Isola dell Falcole that perhaps gave us our biggest surprise of all. This rare and expressive 2021 Vecchia Vigna Toscana (“Old Vineyard of Tuscany”) red blend is absolutely thrilling to taste – made of 70% Sangiovese, 10% Colorino, 5% Canaiolo, 5% Ciliegiolo, 5% Malvasia, and 5% Trebbiano. The grapes hail from a microclimate between Montefioralle and Panzano, carefully hand-selected from southern-exposure vineyards sitting at 300- to 450-meter elevation. The team allows natural fermentation to occur before aging 18 months in large barrels, resulting in something altogether elegant, expressive, energetic, and enchanting.

“This is an exciting property to watch.” - Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate

Brightly toned and lively, this is a wine that is light, though complex...aromatic, though approachable...delicate, though carrying impressive depth. It seems a wine full of awe-striking range, no doubt thanks to its old-vine lineage and painstakingly passionate production. The expansive nose opens with a presentation of blood orange spray, wild berries and herbs, and dried cherry aromas. The first sips expose an even greater adventure – notes of just underripe raspberry, budding lavender, crushed violet and rose petals, sweet cigar box, orange-cranberry sauce, and a wild, minty Alpine expression. This is a wine with great precision and depth, a medium to full body, and a juiciness that’s balanced just so with minerality, acidity, and smooth tannins. In short, we can’t get enough of it and are absolutely thrilled to have some to share with our fellow wine geeks! This is as classic, authentic Tuscany as a wine can get – make sure you get some while it’s hot!

PAIRING IDEAS: A wine with this many layers and complexities deserves something light and bright alongside it – I’m going with a seared steak salad with crumbled gorgonzola, pomegranate seeds, walnuts, shaved red onion, and a creamy balsamic vinaigrette.