Press

• Score: 98 Vintage 2021 James Suckling An intense wine with aromas of underbrush, myrrh, lavender, rosemary, flowers, bramble fruit and hints of leather and cloves. Full-bodied and velvety with elegant tannins, refreshing acidity and a long, savory finish that’s muscular and grainy yet sweet and juicy. Drinkable now, but it will be at its peak in 10 years. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 96 Vintage 2020 James Suckling A very silky and crunchy red with blackberry, blackcurrant, chocolate and hazelnut aromas. Medium-bodied. Juicy and spicy at the end. A blend of cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot. Very drinkable already and will age beautifully. Drink or hold. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 95 Vintage 2020 Jeb Dunnuck Composed of a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Lupicaia shows a deep ruby hue and has a more restrained aromatic profile of black cherry cordial, subtle vanilla, lavender, and saline notes. Full-bodied, it has persistent length, with intense orange peel character carrying through the palate with bright acidity. It is structured yet already expressive and should age well over the coming decades. Drink 2026-2046. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 97 Vintage 2019 Wine Review Online This has long been among my favorite so-called “Super Tuscan” wines, and this 2019 release offered a very welcome reunion after I had missed several vintages of it. Based on 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and a 10% dose of Petit Verdot (that no doubt deepened the color and added punch), it blossoms after an hour in a decanter to show undeniable beauty. Really only medium-bodied, it is unusually versatile for food-pairing purposes because it shows its power in the persistence of its finish rather more in physical weight. To be sure, there’s plenty of aromatic expressiveness and flavor impact, yet the ripeness of the fruit seems very tasteful and restrained for a wine with 15% stated alcohol. There’s some spicy, toasty oak showing, but it is likewise restrained and very well measured in its prominence relative to the fruit component. At 6.5 years since the fruit came off the vine, savory nuances are already in evidence, making for impressive complexity now, but the overall impression is of a wine that holds at least 15 years of potential for positive development. The price is steep, but this also poses a steep challenge to almost any wine in its price category from anywhere. The 2019 vintage in Tuscany was outstanding – the best since the marvelous 2016 and the best to date except for the exceptional year of 2021. So, this is a wine to buy now for enjoyment on a special occasion, but keep some cash on hand for when the 2021 arrives in about 18 months. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 94 Vintage 2019 Jeb Dunnuck As with the 2019 Castello del Terriccio, the 2019 Lupicaia is more reserved on the nose at the moment, revealing notes of cassis, coffee, mint, dark chocolate, and sea salt. Full-bodied, it has a bright spine of acidity, with plush tannins and more openness on the palate than the aromatics suggest. It’s already drinking well but has the balance to evolve over the next couple of decades, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this soar with some time. Drink 2026-2040. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 94 Vintage 2019 James Suckling The floral and currant aromas come through clearly, with hints of lavender and sage flowers. It’s medium-bodied with a firm and fresh vibe. Lightly chewy, with fine powdery tannins at the end. A blend of cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot. Drinkable now, but better in a year or two. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 94 Vintage 2018 Wine Advocate Perhaps a little green in character, I very much like the austerity of this vintage. The Castello del Terriccio 2018 Lupicaia is a little stern, but it's also playful with rosemary essence, ferrous earth, rust, licorice, chamomile flower and sour plum. The fruit is quite detailed in 2018 compared to the monotone 2017 vintage that I also tasted at the same time. You also get that distinctive note of eucalyptus that is always present in this wine. The wine shows lift and tart flavors that intersect with firm tannins. The sun-shaped logo on the front label is an Etruscan symbol that was found on a stone that was later donated to a museum in the town of Volterra. The estate is selling this vintage, but it also has a wide array of back vintages in stock. Shelf Talker Full Page Review
• Score: 93 Vintage 2018 Wine Enthusiast In the glass, the aromatics show black licorice, dried pine, and black plum. The soul of the palate feels dark fruited, as you receive overripe blackberry, plum skin, and a post rain forest floor. While the wine finishes up, tannins with sensations of powder round the mouth and drive more dark fruit between each sip. Shelf Talker Full Page Review