Vineyards Magazine

First produced in 1980 by Isole e Olena on the western edge of the Chianti Classico region, Cepparello is one of the pioneers of the Supertuscan category. A 100% Sangiovese wine, it embodies the roots, vision, and character of its place of origin in every sip. Its guiding principle is a consistent awareness of character, based on an artisanal approach to production and a human understanding of terroir.

Since the first massal and clonal vine selections in the 1980s and 1990s, the winery has continued to study both soils and vines, noting their evolution and response to a changing climate. Over the past twenty years in particular, Isole e Olena has strengthened its work in selection for its Sangiovese vines, identifying those best suited to creating vineyards capable of withstanding the new climatic conditions. Beginning in 2023, this process was further enhanced with a replanting program of approximately two hectares per year and the restoration of ancient terraces, which are also invaluable for preventing soil erosion.

Using this dynamic approach to agriculture, which preserves tradition while looking toward the future, is the very soul of Isole e Olena, and the IGT Toscana Cepparello is the estate’s ultimate expression.

“We focus on soil analysis and plot-by-plot management; we observe how each vine responds to its growing environment and allow it to express its own character,” explains Emanuele Reolon, the estate’s director. “We select the best grapes from the sunniest and best ventilated vineyards; only the clusters from the most suitable plots are destined for Cepparello.” It is a painstaking process, built on observation, comparison, and experimentation, which has always been part of the viticultural heritage of a grape like Sangiovese that has helped to shape the history of Italian wine.

The 2023 vintage captures these characteristics in the bottle. “Spring began with moderate rainfall, which helped build up water reserves in the soil. The summer months were hot, but without the extreme heat waves experienced in recent years. Rainfall during the growing season contributed to ideal grape ripening conditions, while breezes helped keep the vines healthy. Finally, the sun shone on the vineyards from late September through early October,” Reolon recalls, “allowing us to harvest grapes with an intense aromatic profile and lively acidity: valuable characteristics for the wine’s future evolution.”

The care devoted to the vineyard throughout the year continues in the cellars, where the selected grapes ferment in truncated-conical French oak vats. The wine then ages for 18 months in new and used barriques and tonneaux, as well as in large casks, before undergoing a further year of bottle aging. “Our role,” concludes the winemaker, “is to guide Cepparello, allowing it to express its own identity. And the 2023 vintage reflects this aim with particular clarity, bringing to the glass a lively, elegant Sangiovese capable of combining both energy and restraint in its well-balanced character.”

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Isole e Olena is one of the historic estates of Chianti Classico and has been part of the EPI group since 2023. Today, Estate Director Emanuele Reolon continues to guide the winery with a philosophy centred on “quality in evolution”. Located in San Donato in Poggio, in the western part of the appellation, the estate has 56 hectares of vineyards planted at elevations of 300–500 metres above sea level, on Pliocene-origin soils rich in clay schist, alberese limestone and sandstone. At the top of the portfolio is Cepparello, alongside Chianti Classico, Chardonnay and, last but not least, Vin Santo, a true favourite among enthusiasts of the style.