Very perfumed with roses and other flowers. Spanish cedar, too. Medium-bodied with creamy and fine yet round tannins that go on for minutes. Super-fine texture. Juicy fruit. Succulent and so beautiful. Hard not to drink now. In fact, do. But it will age beautifully, too. Vineyards of 30 years or more. Drink or hold.

The 2018 vintage appears to be a combination of 2015 and 2016, showing the ripeness of 2015 - red cherries and plums - with the freshness of 2016. The tannins are tight and still evolving, while the acidity is crisp. The red fruit is underpinned with oak notes. Hold for a couple of years before opening. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2030
Tasted by: Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW (at London, 11 Jul 2022)
Part of Ipsus: The making of a modern Italian cru

Hitting the market now, the Caggio 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Ipsus unfolds slowly in the glass to reveal dark fruit, cassis, spice, cured leather and pressed blue flowers. There is a touch of something exotic like a bay leaf or a hint of toasted cumin. The finish is silky and very smooth, and this wine is longer in terms of mouthfeel and more finely polished compared to the 2016 vintage that I tasted at the same time. Compared to 2016, this 2018 edition is aged for a slightly shorter time in tonneaux. It sees two months less of oak and a bit more time in cement vat. Also, the percentage of new wood was reduced from 100% to 80%. Fermentation is spontaneous with no added yeasts and submerged cap. ML