98pts James Suckling

What a beautiful nose of elderberries, freshly picked blackcurrants, citrus, herbs, licorice and crushed stones, amidst a backdrop of coffee beans, cedar and vanilla. Full-bodied and very subtle and refined with tightly wound tannins and an impressive balance of fruit and acidity. Long, grainy and elegant on the finish. A masterpiece. Drink in 2020.

96pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

This was an iconic vintage, and the superiority of the 2016 growing season, with lots of sunshine and cool summer nights, shows. A blend of equal parts Merlot and Sangiovese, the Mazzei 2016 Siepi is profound, vibrant, nuanced and lifted. The Merlot plays an important role in grounding the wine, adding both texture and volume. However, the Sangiovese is almost more important in my opinion, especially in this sample. The bouquet is fresh and lively with plenty of wild cherry, rose, crushed stone, lilac and lavender. One of the big changes made in 2016 is the introduction of a four-month finishing period in concrete tanks. This wine is showing beautifully now, but it has many more years to give. Best After 2022.

95pts Vinous

The 2016 Siepi, the estate's Sangiovese/Merlot blend, is a big, rich wine. In 2016, the Merlot is especially prominent. Black cherry jam, torrefaction, spice, leather, menthol and new French oak are all pushed forward. Time in the glass brings out a good bit of aromatic freshness to balance things out. Readers should expect a potent, seriously concentrated wine.

93pts Wine Spectator

An ambitious red, this leads off with a salvo of lively cherry and blackberry fruit, accented by vanilla and toasty oak notes. Offers a mineral undercurrent and a finish of smoke and iron notes. Best from 2022 through 2040.

Winery Description

For 26 generations, the Mazzei family has been producing benchmark Italian wines from their historic Castello di Fonterutoli estate in Tuscany and more recently in the Maremma, Sicily and the Veneto. The passion, commitment and expertise that goes into these expressive wines is a reflection of the Mazzei’s spirit of innovation and respect for each property’s unique terroir.

Since the 1400’s the Mazzei’s have been producing wine; making it one of the oldest running Italian companies - of any kind! Their ancestry is closely woven not only into Tuscany’s winemaking history, but as well as to this venerated region’s political and cultural past. The notable merchant, Ser Lapo Mazzei, is credited for authoring the first official document mentioning “Chianti wine” (December 16, 1398). Years later, Philip Mazzei, winemaker, political thinker and friend of Thomas Jefferson, is credited for influencing another historic document, whose philosophical writings on equality of man served as inspiration for the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

Four beautiful properties make up the Mazzei portfolio. Castello di Fonterutoli in historic Chianti Classico, Tuscany remains the historic home of Mazzei. An enthusiasm for discovery has led to the purchase of Belguardo in the Maremma, which borders the Tuscan coast and Zisola in Noto, Sicily. Giovanni Mazzei has recently taken over his family’s estate, Villa Marcello, in the Veneto, For six generations the Mazzei property at Castello di Fonterutoli has been family-owned and operated; which is also the case since the establishment of Belguardo, Zisola and Villa Marcello. Lapo Mazzei manages as Chairman, along with his sons Filippo and Francesco, both CEOs. The newest generation, Giovanni Mazzei, represents the 26th generation, poised to continue in the family’s footsteps of producing innovative and expressive wines from Central Tuscany, the Maremma, Sicily and the Veneto.