1999 Siepi
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Tasting notes
Oak notes and spice are delivered from the Mazzei 1999 Siepi with unexpected intensity. Toasted nut and espresso bean give this wine a flatter and more monotone personality. French barrique and tonneaux are normally employed in the Siepi program (the wine is a blend of equal parts Merlot and Sangiovese), and the aging trajectory of this vintage has evidently put priority on secondary (or cellaring) aromas. This vintage was made in the old Mazzei winery that was located within the ancient stone buildings of Castello di Fonterutoli. The new high-tech winery that houses many hundreds of oak barrels in the underground cellar wasn't inaugurated until the end of 2007 or the start of 2008.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Full bottle 1,195 g. Lightly rainy spring and unusually hot May but good diurnal temperature variation in summer. Alcohol: 13.7%. Total acidity: 5.4 g/l. Harvest: hand-picked starting 10 September (Merlot), 29 September (Sangiovese). Fermentation temperature: 30–32 °C. Period of maceration: 18 days (Merlot), 21 days (Sangiovese). Ageing: 16–18 months in small (225-litre) French oak barrels. Bottling: June 2001. Production: 32,000 bottles Still quite youthful garnet. Smells quite ripe and gamey with a touch of melted butter – a bit more like a right-bank red bordeaux than a Tuscan native. Quite delicate – more delicate, I suspect, than the average St-Émilion1999 at this point. Fresh, dry (but not drying) finish. Really appetising – though maybe more suited to classic than full-flavoured food. (JR)
50% Merlot, 50% Sangiovese. Mid crimson. Lovely nose, very complete. Great balance. Dense and racy. A polished version of the 1997. Real zest and very fluent. Wonderful balance. No one could be disappointed. Clean! (JR)
Along with a less saturated dark ruby color, the 1999 Brancaia reveals an interesting perfume of licorice, dried herbs, black fruits, and a hint of animal scents. On the palate, it is lean and compressed, with noticeable tannin as well as structure. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2012. Importer: William Grant & Sons, Edison, NJ; tel. (732) 225-9000