[$99 list] Sunbaked earth, mature black-plum, fragrant blue-flower and leather aromas mingle with balsamic whiffs of camphor on this full-bodied, delicious red. Made with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Sangiovese, the creamy palate is earthy and full of flavor, boasting juicy blackberry, raspberry, dried mint, cocoa and licorice. Taut velvety tannins provide plenty of support and finesse. Drink through 2035. Alcohol 14.5%. (May 2020)
I love the meatiness to this wine, but also the purity of fruit; think charcuterie, prosciutto, bay leaf, capsicum, blueberries, blackcurrants and crushed stones. You just can’t get over the way this manages to deliver a powerful, muscular package with stunning finesse and poise. The tapestry of intricate texture and detail is wrought in a flashy but sincere and heartwarming style. The balance takes your breath away. Best ever from here. Impossible to resist now, but better from 2025.
The 2015 Sammarco (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese) shines the brightest spotlight onto the Cabernet Sauvignon element, and you can immediately make out the distinctive sharpness and structure of that variety. The bouquet offers notes of black fruit, toasted spice and grilled herb, along with wild flower, terracotta and tilled earth. There is some spice on the close, and the tannins do leave their mark with youthful astringency. Give the wine some time in the cellar, and one day it will be fantastic with a tagliatelle and porcini.
This is dense and muscular, revealing a tightly wound matrix of black cherry, blackberry, iron, earth and tobacco flavors. Balsamic elements of wild juniper and rosemary emerge as this extends on the finish. Though gripping, this is also very pure, fresh and balanced. Needs time. Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Merlot. Best from 2022 through 2036. 2,400 cases made, 300 cases imported.
The 2015 Sammarco is a wine of exquisite and total finesse. Understated and nuanced, as few wines are in 2015, Sammarco is sublime. Wild flowers, cedar, spice, leather and mint give the 2015 striking aromatic dimension. On the palate, the 2015 is subtle and classy. In 2015, the Merlot crop was a bit higher than normal as newer plantings entered production, and that is reflected in the blend here as well. Because of that, the 2015 is an unusually open, forthcoming Sammarco. In fact, I can't remember tasting a young Sammarco with this much early appeal. I can't wait to see how it ages. The 2015 is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Sangiovese, with the Cabernet and Merlot aged in concrete and tonneaux, and the Sangiovese exclusively in cask.
Technical Details
Blend65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Sangiovese
CountryItaly
RegionTuscany
AppellationTuscany
Shop All Wines Castello dei Rampolla Sammarco Tuscany IGT 2015
Castello dei Rampolla Sammarco Tuscany IGT 2015
Cabernet Blends | Italy
JS98, WE98, WA95, WS95, VN94
$99.00
$64.95 | 750mL
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34% off retail!
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As Galloni writes…”sublime”. Indeed - this will just blow you away. It’s at Masseto/Ornellaia level qualitatively but DRASTICALLY less $. In fact, it would be fun to do a blind tasting….!
Anyway, Castello dei Rampolla is well-known already among the savviest of Tuscan cognoscenti for being one of the greatest in Chianti Classico, of course, and we are thrilled to have a bit to offer. DON’T MISS! This is a CLASSIC! The Rampolla winery, with its cellars dating back to the 13th century and its ancient Castle overlooking the Conca d’Oro’s valley, has been owned by the di Napoli for nearly three centuries. The 42 hectares of vineyard is located on calcareous soils at about 360 meters above the sea level in the Chianti Classico locality of Panzano.
An absolute no-brainer if you love Super Tuscan styled greatness! First come, first served…!
About the Producer
The Rampolla winery, with its cellars dating back to the 13th century and its ancient Castle overlooking the Conca d’Oro’s valley, has been owned by the di Napoli for nearly three centuries. The 42 hectares of vineyard located on calcareous soils at about 360 meters above the sea level in the Chianti Classico locality of Panzano grow Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
