2004 Lupicaia

93pts Wine Enthusiast

Lupicaia (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot) is said to be influenced by the eucalyptus trees that border the vineyard. Indeed, spicy green notes reminiscent of pungent peppercorn distinguish this wine and are at the core of a complex embroidery of aromas that include black fruit, spice and vanilla.

92pts Wine Spectator

Currant, mineral and hints of new wood on the nose. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins, yet balanced and long. A rich, fruity, structured young red. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best after 2010. 2,600 cases made.

2005 Lupicaia

95pts Jeb Dunnuck

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the 2005 Lupicaia is layered with redcurrant, tobacco, dried red flowers, and leather. The palate is full but elegant and long, and the wine is very attractive with red-fruited perfume, fine-grained tannins, and a refined approach. This graceful wine is in a beautiful place now.

91pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2005 Lupicaia is a bit shorter in the mouth compared to later vintages, yet it's robust and layered with thick density and luscious fruit flavors. That is, it appears older in the mouth than it does on the nose. The wine remains well maintained and ripe, with a more granular texture. This was a hot vintage in most of Tuscany, but it's considered a cool one on this part of the Tuscan Coast.

2006 Lupicaia

95pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

It's amazing how consistent these wines have been under the guidance of Carlo Ferrini, who has been the consulting winemaker at Castello del Terriccio since 1993, the first year this wine was released. The 2006 Lupicaia has held up well in the bottle, with its ripe fruit, black cherry and ripe blackberry, along with chocolate and spice. The wine shows evolved notes of cured tobacco and leather, and you can really taste the compact nature of the fruit. There is good concentration and richness here as well, which I think is mostly due to the style of the times. You could say that this vintage represents the younger bookend of this stylistic era.

2007 Lupicaia 

96pts Jeb Dunnuck

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the 2007 Lupicaia takes on more concentrated aromas of balsamic, kirsch, leather, and crushed violets. The palate is full, compact, and long, with a rich, velvety texture, ripe tannins, and notes of black olive tapenade, dried blackcurrant, and turned soil. This is a potent wine with a lot to offer for a more warming style. Drink 2022-2032.

94pts Wine Enthusiast

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, this opens with aromas of mature blackberries, blueberries, cedar, aromatic dried herbs and black pepper. On the smooth palate, notes of exotic spice, licorice, menthol and espresso accent the core of dried black cherry. It's well balanced, with velvety tannins and surprising freshness for what was a torrid vintage.

92pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Even after more than a decade in the bottle, the 2007 Lupicaia still shows some primary fruit of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, but it is clear that this wine has fully evolved, with notes of licorice and crushed stone. It's still a worthy release from the experienced winemaker Carlo Ferrini, but I think the 2006 is a better bet to open now and even the 2008 or 2009 Lupicaia vintages will bring more to the table over the next year or two.

92pts James Suckling

Dark chocolate with plums and berries follow through to a full body, ripe fruit and a nutty finish. Drink or hold.

2008 Lupicaia

93pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2008 Lupicaia also shows good balsamic notes, greener than the others, and it definitely shows its age thanks to its tertiary aromas. However, this vintage doesn't have that tension or vertical lift that you get in the 2009. It shows less overall dimension. The tannins have fully integrated, and the wine has less textural heft as well.

2010 Lupicaia

95pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2010 Lupicaia is another fruit-forward vintage, showing great intensity and depth. What makes this wine unique is its streamlined and focused nature. Overall, it is a ripe, generous and very intense wine with rich flavors and concentration. The integrated tannin are dusty and fine. It would pair well with rich and gamey meats like liver, innards or venison.

95pts Jeb Dunnuck

Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petit Verdot, the 2010 Lupicaia was raised in new tonneaux for approximately 18 months. It is forward with more contemplative aromas of worn leather, white truffle, and dried cherry and is long on the palate, with red plum, dried roses, and turned earth. It is medium to full bodied but again has a compact nature that harkens more similarly to Bordeaux than New World in its style. It is not shy for structure and has great Mediterranean feel.

Winery Notes

The Castello del Terriccio (Castle of the land) dates back roughly 1000 years. The modern history of the estate begins after World War I, when it was acquired by Count Serrafini Ferri, whose family still owns the property. In the 1920s the Serrafini Ferris' implemented major improvements to the property. This family laid the groundwork for the estate that remains more or less unchanged today.

Up to the 1970s the estate was known mainly for production of grain, it even held the European record for production of second harvest corn. This specialization in grain continues today but also in the organic production of spelt (dinkel wheat), corn, forage and olive groves – but this has been overshadowed in recent times by the estate's expertise and reputation for viticulture and the production of fine wines. It expanded from 25 hectares of vineyards (62 acres) in 1980 to 60 hectares (148 acres) today.

Cultivation of vines in this area dates originally back to the Etruscans, after which it was abandoned and then begun again. At the end of the 1980s a new phase of viticulture started, with the aim of fully exploiting the potential of the land for production of vines. Today vines are cultivated under IGT- Indicazione Geografica Tipica.