Castellare I Sodi di S. Niccolò

I Sodi di San Niccolò Toscana IGT bottle image

Wine Description

This legendary wine was one of the first Super Tuscans crafted entirely with indigenous varietals. I Sodi di San Niccoló was created in the early 1970s with the goal of demonstrating that the native grapes of the region could produce a wine of the highest quality without the aid of international varietals. Today this goal has been achieved, with I Sodi consistently ranking in the top 100 wines among the most important international wine magazines. Made from 85% Sangioveto and 15% Malvasia Nera. After a maceration period of 18-25 days, the wine is transferred to new barriques and aged for 24 months. "I Sodi" refers to land that is difficult to till and must be harvested by hand, while "San Niccoló" is an abandoned church on the Castellare property.

Alessandro Cellai
Castellare Vines
Castellare Vineyard
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Acclaim
The 2002 I Sodi di San Niccolò is truly stunning. From one of the worst vintages ever on paper, the wine has developed beautifully, and then some. It possesses lovely depth and richness, with terrific acidity and plenty of underlying structure. Dark red cherries, flowers and mint are layered into the energetic finish. The 2002 isn’t quite profound, but it is a huge overachiever for the year, and has held up far better than anyone could have imagined. This is quite frankly an eye-opening bottle.
— Wine Advocate, Jun 2012
Castellare's 2002 Sodi di San Niccolo is an outstanding wine made all the more remarkable considering the challenging nature of the cold growing season. It presents all of the hallmark qualities of this wine in miniature, with pretty aromatics and delicate fruit, yet the diligent work the estate did in the vineyards is evident in the wine's persistence on the palate and its terrific overall balance....this wine has a long-established track record of aging beautifully and the 2002 will deliver plenty of gratification in the short- and medium-term. It is a terrific achievement in this challenging vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018.
— Wine Advocate, Jun 2007
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Vineyard & Production Info
Production area/appellation:
Toscana IGT
Vineyard name
Chianti Classico/The I Sodi di San Niccolò vineyard
Vineyard size
12.4 acres
Soil composition
Diatomaceous
Training method
Upside down Guyot
Elevation:
1,100-1,500 feet
Vines/acre:
1,100-2,800
Exposure:
Southwestern
Harvest time:
October
First vintage of this wine:
1980
Bottles produced of this wine:
30,000
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Winemaking & Aging
Maceration length:
18-25
Varietal composition:
85% Sangioveto and 15% Malvasia Nera
Fermentation container:
Stainless Steel Tanks
Fermentation temperature:
83 °F
Type of aging container:
Barriques
Length of aging before bottling:
24 months
Age of Aging Container:
New
Length of bottle aging:
12 months
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.3
Acidity:
5.8 g/L
Alcohol:
13.5 %
Dry extract:
32 g/L