I SODI DI S. NICCOLÒ 2021 AMONG THE COLLECTIBLES OF WINE SPECTATOR
The Super Tuscan of Castellare di Castellina tops the list of collectible wines drawn up by the authoritative American magazine.
What makes a collectible wine?
According to Wine Spectator, which draws up the Collectibles ranking, it is the potential for improvement with aging in the bottle that allows the wine to acquire complexity and character and therefore to increase its value over time, becoming very attractive for collectors. This is the case for the 2021 vintage of I Sodi di S. Niccolò, which ranks at the top of the Collectibles list, a collector’s wine ranking revealed in preview through the Wine Spectators’ Advance (anticipations of the guide which will be released next October). The Super Tuscan of Castellare, with a score of 97/100 (higher than Masseto, for example), thus proves to be a wine also for investment. “Intense and resonant, with superb balance and excellent potential”: this is how Bruce Sanderson, senior editor at WS, describes the 2021 vintage, adding that it will be at its best from 2028 to 2045 and thus recognizing its aging potential that well exceeds twenty years.
That I Sodi di S. Niccolò is a wine to invest in is also confirmed by Liv-Ex, a platform that every year decrees the most popular fine wines on the market. In the recently unveiled 2025 ranking, among the most prized labels in the world there is also the Super Tuscan from Castellare di Castellina which thus confirms itself as an excellent investment.
The 2021 harvest
The season promised to be particularly difficult due to the prolonged lack of rain. Until the end of August, the outlook was not promising, but around September 10, a drastic drop in night temperatures prevented the dehydration process of the bunches, allowing perfect ripening. Thanks to this change, what was expected to be a complicated harvest ultimately proved to be excellent. The grapes harvested were of extraordinary quality, in particular Sangiovese which, being a late variety, benefited from the drop in temperatures.
The wine-maker tasting notes
“The 2021 vintage of I Sodi di S. Niccolò stands out for its great olfactory intensity and a dense and elegant texture of sweet tannins, supported by the acidity of Sangioveto. The sip is particularly pleasant and crunchy and the finish is long and very persistent. A wine that can be drunk immediately or left in the cellar for very long aging”..
Alessandro Cellai, oenologist
The little bird of 2021
Every year, a different bird appears on the label, taken from the drawings of the British ornithologist John Gould (19th century), which pays homage to the many species increasingly less present in Chianti Classico due to the use of herbicides. The 2021 vintage features the Zigolo Testa Aranciata on the label, whose scientific name is Emberiza bruniceps. In Castellare di Castellina, respect for the environment has always been one of the pillars of the production philosophy. In fact, from the beginning the company has chosen to ban herbicides, pesticides and all kinds of synthetic chemicals, anticipating a path, undertaken by others only in recent decades, in favor of sustainable winemaking. The symbol of this commitment is precisely the iconic bird that Castellare is known for in the world.
I Sodi di S. Niccolò is produced exclusively with native Tuscan vines, 85% Sangioveto and 15% Malvasia Nera, coming from the two best Crus of the estate located in the heart of Chianti Classico. Born in 1977, it was the 4° Super Tuscan in Italy of the historic category for which the Historical Supertuscan Association was founded. The term Super Tuscan was coined by the English magazine Decanter for the great wines of Chianti Classico which, in order to achieve the highest quality, left the DOC and became table wines, so as not to be forced by the then production regulations to also use white grape.
I Sodi di S. Niccolò has collected important awards over the years. With 2020 he achieved an important position in the Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2024, and debuted in the first Vinous World Top 100 of the highly rated Antonio Galloni. A great result for the vintage which, among other things, marks the 35 harvests that have passed since 1985, when I Sodi di S. Niccolò entered the first Wine Spectator World Top 100 published in 1988 in 6° place overall. Result replicated the following year, with the 1986 vintage, thus confirming the ability of Alessandro Cellai, oenologist and executive vice president of the Domini Castellare di Castellina group, to make great wines.
Tags: Castellare di Castellina, I Sodi di S. Niccolò, Wine Spectator