PRE-ARRIVAL OFFER. First produced in 1969, the Chianti Classico is deeply rooted in the history of Isole e Olena. In 1996, the Consortium allowed the production of Chianti Classico with 100% Sangiovese, and in 2005, white varieties were banned from the Chianti Classico blend. Since then, the estate’s Chianti Classico has consisted of a minimum of 80% Sangiovese along with a blend of Canaialo, Syrah, and occasionally other red varieties. The ratio of Canaialo, and especially Syrah, has varied over the years driven by the identity of a vintage. Paolo famously once said:
“it’s much easier to make red wines from red grapes”
Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks with délestage (or 'rack and return') and pumping-over twice a day. De Marchi first experimented with the délestage method in 1996 and subsequently began using it for all red wines from the 1997 vintage. The wine was aged in 225 litre barrels (of which 5% was new oak), 4,000 litre and 2,700 litre oak casks. The wine was aged for a further four months in bottle before release. The 2021 Chianti Classico consists of 85% Sangiovese, 12% Canaialo and 3% Syrah. This wine is released each year in the Autumn.
17.5+ points – Walter Speller, March 2024, JancisRobinson.com: Lustrous mid-to-deep ruby. At first, a nose that's savoury and minerally with shy, brooding fruit underneath. Succulent, tangy, wall-to-wall cherry fruit on the palate. Great depth and fantastic, coating, almost slick tannins. Vibrant.
VINTAGE REPORT 2021
The 2021 growing season began with very low temperatures in early Spring, which delayed shoot development. Towards the end of Spring, heavy rainfall encumbered flowering and in turn fruit set. Meticulous vineyard management was required to mitigate these challenges and ensure vine health throughout the rest of the growing season. Excellent water reserves prevented further stress on the vines throughout the warm and dry summer that followed. Ahead of harvest, the diurnal shift grew bigger, enabling optimal ripening and lively acidity. The challenges encountered in 2021 resulted in yields being considerably down. Nevertheless, the wines are bright, elegant and complex.
“Paolo will always be our Stella Polare.” – Emanuele Reolon, Estate Director, London, March 2024
Hailing from Alto Piemonte, the De Marchi family moved south to Tuscany when they purchased two adjoining estates ‘Isole’ and ‘Olena’ in 1956 near San Donato in Poggio, in the western part of the Chianti Classico zone. Both were small, derelict sharecropping hamlets at the time, but soon became ‘Isole e Olena’. At the age of 25, after studying at Geisenheim, Montpellier, Beaune and UC Davis, Paolo de Marchi took over the estate from his father in 1976. At the time, white grapes were a legal requirement for the production of Chianti Classico, something Paolo soon ignored. Instead, he dedicated his time to the study of Sangiovese, making substantial improvements in the quality of Sangiovese plant material, which benefited the whole region. Albeit famed for crafting one of the world’s very best Sangioveses, ‘Cepparello’, Paolo also established small vineyards of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, while also restoring terraces across the 56-hectare estate.
Isole e Olena’s vineyards are planted on south/south-west facing slopes between 300 and 500 metres above sea level. These are some of the highest and westernmost vineyards of Chianti Classico, enjoying a cooler climate which creates a unique elegance to the wines. Soil on the estate is primarily made up of galestro, a schistous clay, and the vineyards are surrounded by forest, mitigating temperatures and increasing biodiversity. The vines also prosper in harmony alongside almond, apple, plum, peach, quince trees, and the estate is also home to some 2000 olive trees.
In 2022, with no heirs to take over the estate, the De Marchis decided to sell Isole e Olena to Christopher Descours, the quality-driven owner of Charles Heidsieck, Rare, Piper Heidsieck and Biondi-Santi. Paolo di Marchi diligently oversaw the handover of Isole e Olena to the new winemaking and viticultural teams. His ambitious projects to replant vineyards, build a new winemaking facility at Isole and rebuild large terraces at Olena have been embraced by Descours and his team.
“He [Paolo] gave me the passion and the love that drove him at Isole e Olena for fifty years.” – Emanuele Reolon, March 2024
Today, Emanuele Reolon, the new Estate Director, oversees and ensures the progression of Isole e Olena as it enters this new era. Reverence and humility were striking during his recent visit to London in March 2024, but it was with excitement that Emanuele made the following analogy when describing the feeling that overcame him when he received the call from Isole e Olena:
“If Barcelona FC calls you, you cannot say no!”
