Castellare I Sodi di San Niccolò 2018

100/100 POINTS: Luca Gardini
97 POINTS: Antonio Galloni
3/3 GLASSES: Gambero Rosso
96 POINTS: Decanter Magazine

14% Abv, 90% Sangioveto, 5% Canaiolo and 5% Ciliegiolo

I Sodi di San Niccolò was created in the early 1980s to demonstrate that native grapes could produce a wine with all the power and grace of a Super Tuscan.  The name "I Sodi" refers to land that is difficult to till (the grapes must be hand-harvested), and "San Niccolò" is an abandoned church on the Castellare property.

“The 2018 I Sodi di San Niccolò is the most elegant Sodi I have ever tasted, and I have tasted them all. Sodi can be quite the bruiser in its youth, as the tannins are often imposing, but the 2018 is impressive because there is more than enough fruit to balance things out. Dark cherry, plum, lavender, spice and gravel build in a Sodi endowed with mind-blowing purity and exceptional finesse. Superb!”
— 97 Points, Antonio Galloni

"The 2018 captures both the rich history of the vineyard as well as the Sangioveto grape's enormous potential. Full-bodied, with firm yet fine-grained tannins, I Sodi di San Niccolò is a rich and elegant wine that offers aromas of ripe cherries, dark berries, and currants which are complemented by notes of vanilla, leather, and cedar. On the palate, this wine is full and rich with high aging potential."
— Farr Vintners

"I Sodi di S. Niccolò 2018 is characterized by a great olfactory intensity and a dense and elegant texture of sweet tannins, supported by the acidity of Sangioveto, even more marked in this fresh year which made the sip particularly pleasant and crunchy, with a long and persistent finish. Ready immediately and, at the same time, suitable for a very long aging”
— Alessandro Cellai, winemaker

"Bright and dense ruby red. The nose is clean, with clear aromas of blackberry, and notes of rosemary and eucalyptus. Brackish finish with balsamic touches. The mouthfeel has great tension and depth with fine tannins and a fresh saline finish. Pomegranate and aromatic herbs return, a wine of great drinkability." 04/2022.
— 100/100 Points, Luca Gardini

14% ABV