Ipsus 2019

The wine in this vintage

In Tuscany, 2019 was a harmonious vintage, with a warm but well-ventilated summer, cool nights and an even harvest that yielded balanced, deep and long-lived wines. Ipsus 2019 clearly expresses the character of its single vineyard: sour cherry, blackberry, rose petals, blood orange, spice and an earthy note, on a full, silky palate with precise tannins and a long finish. Antonio Galloni rated it 94 points and Jancis Robinson 17.5/20. Already enjoyable in its youthful phase, it can be cellared for a long time, developing more complex, tertiary nuances over the years.

The producer · Mazzei

The history of the Mazzei family is intertwined with that of Chianti itself: it was the notary Ser Lapo Mazzei who, in a document dated 1398, first used the name Chianti to refer to a wine. Since 1435 the family has owned Castello di Fonterutoli, a medieval hamlet just south of Castellina in Chianti, tending its vines for twenty-four generations. Today the estate is led by brothers Filippo, Francesco and Giovanni Mazzei, who have added Belguardo in the Maremma and Zisola in Sicily to Fonterutoli. In the heart of Chianti Classico the vineyards are spread across several areas, including Fonterutoli, Siepi, Badiola, Belvedere and Caggio, whose different soils and altitudes allow a plot-by-plot reading of Sangiovese. The modern gravity-flow winery, carved into the rock, serves a style that combines precision, depth of fruit and respect for place. Its flagship wines include Siepi, a historic blend of Sangiovese and Merlot, and Ipsus, the expression of a single Sangiovese vineyard.

Critics' scores

• 94 Antonio Galloni
• 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson

Technical details

Producer

Mazzei

Region

Toscana

Country

Italia

Type

Rosso

Vintage

2019

When to drink

Hold, still evolving

Critics' average

94/100

Sizes

75 cl, Magnum 150 cl, Case of 6 × 75 cl

eWibe code

0810219