I Sodi di S. Niccolò di Castellare di Castellina is one of the few
Italian Supertuscans made exclusively with native vines:
85% Sangioveto and 15% Malvasia Nera. The origin of the name comes
from the word used by Tuscan farmers to describe those lands that
they had to be worked by hand, being too hard (actually firm)
or too steep to allow the use of oxen. San Niccolò,
instead, it is the name of the 14th century church that stands on the property of
Castellare around which some of the most suitable vineyards are located. In
label, the iconic bird, which has always been present on the red wines of
Castellare, symbol of daily commitment to viticulture
sustainable that the company has been pursuing for over 40 years.
The 2019 harvest
The 2019 season was characterized by extreme variability from
climatic point of view. In spring, in the Chianti Classico, the
temperatures below the seasonal average and rainfall during the
flowering, have delayed the subsequent phenological phases, lengthening the
vegetative cycle of the plant. However, precipitation
abundant have allowed the creation of important reserves
water, suitable for facing a moderately hot summer, with
high temperatures, but not so high as to cause burns or
dehydrations. A wonderful September, with a succession of
sunny days and a significant temperature range between day and
night, which then allowed it to reach perfect maturation
phenolic and aromatic properties of the grapes. A vintage therefore which, despite the
initial concerns, it turned out to be one of the best in recent years.
comunication@castellare.it Castellare di Castellina www.castellare.it
The winemaking process
The manual harvest of the grapes took place in the first week of October and the bunches,
placed in small boxes to avoid crushing, they were immediately
transferred to the selection table for sorting and subsequent destemming of the grapes. There
alcoholic fermentation took place in steel tanks, separately for the two varieties, at approximately
25°C for 7 days. Followed by approximately 20 days of maceration on the skins and then racking and
malolactic fermentation. At the beginning of 2020 the wine was then transferred to barrique
partially new (2/3 new and 1/3 used) for a period of approximately 30 months. Concluded on
the assembly was carried out in wood and, after a short period in the tank, I Sodi
di S. Niccolò 2019 was bottled where it aged for another 10 months before release
on the market.
Winemaker's tasting notes
“I Sodi di S. Niccolò 2019 stands out for its great olfactory intensity and a dense and
elegant with sweet and silky tannins. The acid shoulder of Sangioveto gives great freshness and
makes the sip particularly pleasant and crunchy, with a long and great finish
persistence. Ready immediately and at the same time suitable for a very long time
aging". Alessandro Cellai, winemaker
The prices
It was 1977 when I Sodi di S. Niccolò was bottled for the first time. Since then, they are
40 harvests followed (1978 not bottled) and increasingly important recognitions: I
Sodi di S. Niccolò, in fact, was the first Italian wine included in the Top 100 of 1988 by
Wine Spectator with the 1985 vintage; recognition replicated in 1989 with the 1986 vintage.