100pts Luca Gardini

A blend of Sangioveto and Malvasia Nera, with aromas of blackberry jam and Mediterranean scrub, with a balsamic note. Dense on the palate, with savory tannins and a long finish, with a return of the balsamic note.

99pts Falstaff Guide

Powerful, bright ruby. Appealing nose with fine ripe fruit, dark cherry, blackberry and plum, followed by tobacco and liquorice. Unified on the palate, lots of well-ripened berry fruit, then opens up very precisely and long with multi-layered, finely-meshed tannins, good tension and a long finish.

97pts Wine Spectator

Dark flavors of cherry, plum and blackberry are fresh, focused and framed by a light touch of toasty oak. Iron, earth, eucalyptus and tobacco notes add depth as this red plays out on the long aftertaste. Intense and resonant, with superb balance and excellent potential. Sangioveto and Malvasia Nera. Best from 2028 through 2045.

97pts Decanter

85% Sangioveto, 15% Malvasia Nera). Cocoa powder and red berries on the nose, some softly ferrous notes with tobacco and rose florality. Thick and glossy but lively with lots of life and energy. This is broad and powerful, complex and muscular with flesh and chew. Tannins are grippy but they're joined by mouthwatering acidity that lifts the expression. Sun-kissed black fruit and spiced on the finish. It still feels a little compact at this stage, but is full of concentration and finesse with graphite, slate and a bloody tang on the finish. Grapes come from the best two crus of the estate. 2021 saw the latest harvest ever at the estate finishing on October 20th. Winemaker Alessandro Cellai. All I Sodi wines feature endangered bird species on the label, this one is the orange-headed bunting. Alcohol 14.0%. Drinking Window: 2027-2044.

97pts Inside Bordeaux

A wonderfully balanced vintage in Tuscany, and this wine, which is always one to follow, just slow burns into brilliance. What I mean by that is that there is a delicacy immediately evident, savoury broth and crushed rose petals on the opening, gentle woodsmoke and fragrant raspberry leaf and redcurrant fruits. Its tannins give a gentle caress. Alessandro Cellai winemaker, 66% new oak, 10 months in bottle after barrel ageing. Drink: 2027-2042

Winemaker Notes

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.  This wine captures both the rich history of the vineyard as well as the Sangioveto grape's enormous potential.

Tasting Notes

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.