This top-shelf wine from Mazzei is a blend of 50-50 Merlot and Sangiovese. The Sangiovese goes into tonneaux and the Merlot ages in 70% new barrique for 18 months. The 2021 Siepi (in a heavy glass bottle) opens to sweet fruit nuances of cooked cherry, blackberry preserves, cinnamon and nutmeg. This full-bodied wine is supple and very soft in terms of mouthfeel, and its flavor profile is expansive and all-encompassing. This wine is balanced and seamless, and the 2021 vintage is certainly one of the best editions of Siepi we've seen so far.
James Suckling (98)
An opulent yet tensioned young red with blackberries, violets and black olive skin character. Full-bodied. But has so much energy and focus. Goes on for minutes. A blend of merlot and sangiovese. Best after 2028.
Vinous (96)
The 2021 Siepi is impressive. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol and mocha are nicely dialed up. This plush, succulent Sangiovese/Merlot blend is quite the charmer, as it so often is. The 2021 is exceptionally elegant and polished, certainly one of the best editions in recent memory. All that said, my view is that Siepi would benefit from longer aging in wood and or glass, as it is released too early for a wine of its stature and potential.
