Sammarco Castello di Rampolla IGT 1990 1500ml

Wine Advocate #98, Apr 28, 1995, by Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1990 Sammarco may prove to be a worthy rival to the glorious 1985. The saturated ruby/purple/garnet color is followed by an intense yet youthful fragrance of ripe black fruits, vanillin, and minerals. Full-bodied, rich, beautifully delineated and structured, it possesses considerable body, tannin, and extract. Although accessible, it is extremely young and ideally should have another 2-4 years of cellaring. It should age well for 15+ years. As I have said many times, Sammarco always reminds me of a top Graves, because of the tobacco/mineral component it often displays. This outstanding Tuscan producer has been exceptionally consistent over the last decade, so it is not surprising that the 1990s performed brilliantly.

The estate S. Lucia in Faulle, where the Castello dei Rampolla wine is produced, is in the southern valley of Panzano, so called â??Conca dâ??Oroâ?? . It has been owned by the Di Napoli Rampolla family since 1739. From 1964 Alceo Di Napoli devoted himself to grape growing, using modern methods. The first vinifications were in 1970â??s; the first bottling of wine was done from the grape harvest of 1975. Now the business is run by Maurizia and her brother Luca Di Napoli Rampolla with the collaboration of full time and seasonal workers. The vineyards occupy 42 hectolitres in total, not all in production yet. The lands are predominantly calcareous with little clay and many stones. The vineyards have a south, southeast and southwest exposure. Their altitudes run from 1200 ft to 900 ft.
On the farm several different types of grapes are grown: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Traminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Malvasia. The Sangiovese has a harvest yield of about 30 quintals per hectare; the Cabernet Sauvignon about 20 quintals. For the past ten years the farm has used only Biodynamic Agriculture. The grape harvest is done manually, selecting only the best grapes, in the period between September and October. Every operation in the field and in the cellar is done following the lunar phases, and the biodynamic calendar. Castello dei Rampolla uses only their own grapes and does not buy wine, that is why each vintage is often different in quantity and quality. It really all depends on nature.

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