2001 Terriccio wines celebrate top-scores!
95 points to Terriccio Castello del Terriccio!
93 points to Lupicaia
90 points to Tassinaia



….read on at Wine Advocate April 2006

Lupicaia today one of the 20 Italian labels most sought after by investors!  (Corriere della Sera)

Lupicaia 1999 and Tassinaia 1999 awarded Vinalies d'Argent, reserved for "wines of great expression worldwide" at the 2000 Vinalies Internationales in Paris

About the 1996 Lupicaia "wine of great quality, for me one of the finest examples of winemaking that Tuscany can offer"., quote Swiss expert Wolfang Jezek

A "wine of extreme class", Luciano De Lello

A "dense, rich and muscular" wine, comment by Robert Parker on the 1998 vintage

Press reviews…

• 5 stars and Decanter award for Lupicaia 2000
• Gian Annibale Rossi di Medelana in Stephen Brook's Wine People
• Tassinaia 2000 – a top wine at Great Italian Decanter Fine Wine Encounter
• Lupicaia at Christies Auction
• Wine Spectator – quotes and reviews
• Wine Advocate reviews Lupicaia 03, Tassinaia 02 and Castello del Terriccio 03 -  Feb. 2007

Overview of all of Castello del Terriccio's wines in the 2005 Italian wine guides

Articles:

“King of his Castello”, Decanter August 2007

“LUPICAIA 1993-2001”, Nicolas Belfrage MW in World of Fine Wine issue 6, 2005

“ Die Vielfalt der Kuste” , Othmar Kiem in Falstaff Sept/Okt. 2007

Press reviews


5 stars and Decanter Award for Lupicaia 2000

The British wine magazine Decanter had already reported on Terriccio wines - specifically Lupicaia 2000 - in the April 2003 issue, giving the Terriccio Supertuscan a sensational 5-star assessment, equivalent to a Decanter Award. The tasting note by leading expert Steven Spurrier referred to "huge colour, almost blood-like extraction, thick and slightly gamey, really good length and everything in balance despite the massive ripeness and structure. At least 5 years. Drink 2005-15".

Castello del Terriccio, with Lupicaia and Tassinaia, is one of the wineries chosen by Andrea Zanfi to feature in his book "I Supertuscans", (The Supertuscans, Carlo Cambi Editore), the first book devoted exclusively to wines from a category that has revolutionised winemaking in Tuscany over the past 30 years. In addition to a detailed profile of our two reds, and a number of delightful photographs, the book includes an account of the Terriccio estate by Gian Annibale Rossi di Medelana.


Gian Annibale Rossi di Medelana in Stephen Brook's Wine People

The celebrated British wine writer Stephen Brook chose to include Gian Annibale Rossi di Medelana among the 40 personalities of world wine - there were only two other Italians, Piero Antinori and Angelo Gaja - portrayed in his book Wine People, published in New York in 2001 by Vendome Press.


Tassinaia 2000 one of the best wines at the Great Italian Decanter Fine Wine Encounter

There was a major success for Castello del Terriccio wines in the United Kingdom. On 17 May, the estate was invited to take part in the Great Italian Fine Wine Encounter organised in London by the influential British wine magazine, Decanter. This important tasting event involved 90 of Italy's finest producers. During the tasting, which was attended by hundreds of enthusiasts eager to find out about the best of Italy's wines, a team of Decanter experts comprising Amy Wislocki, Christelle Guibert and Josephine Butchart tasted all the wines presented, selecting the one hundred best bottles. The magic circle of top wines included Tassinaia 2000, described by Amy Wislocki as a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese, aged for 14 months in French wood. She detected hints of cedar on the slightly closed nose, particularly enjoying the intense ripe fruit on the palate.


Lupicaia at Christies Auction

At the first auction of fine Italian wines organised by the London auction house Christie's, six bottles of Lupicaia went under the hammer for the impressive sum of € 500


Wine Spectator

The Wine Spectator, too, turned its attention several times to our wines, in issues in late 2004, with James Suckling assigning them the following scores:

92/100 to Castello del Terriccio 2001
91/100 to Lupicaia 2001
89/100 to Tassinaia 2001
88/100 to Rondinaia 2003
87/100 to Con Vento 2003

The Castello del Terriccio was described as "dark color, with subtle yet rich aromas of currants, violets and berries. Chocolate and mint. Full bodied, with silky, fine tannins and long finish. Lots of finesse. Best after 2006," while Lupicaia 2001 had "intense aromas of blackberries, with hints of vanilla and lilacs;" and was "full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a rich, round finish. Needs time to come together, but generous and rich. This is the best Lupicaia since 1997." Finally, as to Tassinaia 2001: "Rich aromas of blackberries, earth and hints of tobacco. Full-bodied, with a good fruit, silky tannins and a medium finish. Needs a bit more in the center palate to be outstanding. Best after 2005."

The head of the European office James Suckling characterised Lupicaia in these words, "Tenuta del Terriccio's Lupicaia is a serious addition to the group of highly sought-after aia wines, which include Ornellaia and Sassicaia", describing it as "chunky, generous Cabernet Sauvignon with loads of plummy, earthy character and voluptuous, velvety tannins".

Online edition of Wine Spectator: observed that Tassinaia has "more zest and character", December 2001, [back to top]

The USA Quarterly Review of Wines

Quarterly Review of Wines The USA Quarterly Review of Wines, in its Winter 2004/2005 "Shoppers' Guide to Super Tuscans," awarded its maximum rank of 5 stars to our Tassinaia 2000, with this description: "Deep ruby color; big, earthy, meaty, black fruit nose; big, spicy, chewy, high-frequency, black fruit and coffee flavors; good, long, muscular finish".


Decanter's "Italy 2005"

Rosemary George, Master of Wine, whose book Treading Grapes: Walking through the Vineyard of Tuscany devoted two pages to our estate (see further details in News), also cited Castello del Terriccio, and characterised it as a "high-profile" producer in an article, "Band of Brothers," exploring current developments along the Tuscan coast. It was published in January 2005 in the "Italy 2005" supplement of Decanter, the British wine journal.


Mondo's Weine der Welt

In the German wine journal, Mondo, in an article edited by Gerhard Eichelmann and based on a tasting of Tuscan wines, our wines were tasted and were given the following scores:

91/100 to Castello del Terriccio 2000
89/100 to Rondinaia 2003
89/100 to Con Vento 2003
87/100 to Lupicaia 2001
86/100 to Tassinaia 2001
85/100 to Capannino 2002

La Repubblica “…Cosmic Tuscan Red”

Turning to Italy, La Repubblica, in its "Rome" section on Dec. 10, 2004, printed a prominent article by Luciano Di Lello, entitled "Castello del Terriccio 2001: Cosmic Tuscan Red." After lauding the renowned Bordeaux-style Lupicaia as having already assumed "mythic proportions among wine lovers," and then going even further, defining the 2001 as "its highest achievement, with its sweet eucalyptus-drenched fruit, powerful and captivating, generous flavours on velvet-smooth palate of superb elegance," Di Lello greets the release of Castello del Terriccio 2001 as "another massive red almost impossible to assign a score. One senses above all its volume, the fleshiness of its rich fruit and wild red berry pervaded by an exquisite minerality and tarry quality. It is this enrapturing fullness, this ultra-luxurious materiality that makes it so approachable and one of the most exceptional tasting experiences of the year."


Il Sommelier

Lupicaia appears again, this time the 2000 vintage, in the November-December issue of Il Sommelier italiano, the official publication of the A.I.S. The review celebrates the wine for its "deep, intense ruby, complex nose redolent of ripe red fruit and blackberry. Pervasive, but not overwhelming, spiciness, featuring liquorice and tobacco leaf. Smooth, fat, and elegant in the mouth, with supple tannins well buoyed by the alcohol. Long, very appealing finish."


Bibenda “Solidarity wines”

Bibenda, of the A.I.S. chapter in Rome, printed an article on "Solidarity Wines," or those wines that support the philanthropic initiative Wine for Life created by the Community of Sant'Egidio, with each bottle bearing a special seal. Awarding the Castello del Terriccio 2001 a score of 90/100, it praises it thus: "an ultra-dense red hue. Wonderful suite of aromatics, ranging from cherry and plum to liquorice and cocoa, black pepper and pungent herbs. It is not prodigal of power in the mouth, but shows plenty of sinew; smooth, with polished tannins.”


Revue du Vin de France : "Spécial Italie "

Returning to Summer 2004, mention must be made of the inclusion of Castello del Terriccio among the wineries selected by Thierry Dessauve and Alessandro Masnaghetti to represent Tuscany in the "Spécial Italie" supplement in the July issue of the most prestigious French wine journal, Revue du Vin de France, where they select and introduce for the first time "the 120 best Italian wineries." Terriccio is described as "a beautiful, ultra-chic estate on the Tuscan coast at Cecina, south of Livorno, that produces stunning, extremely elegant Super Tuscans. Lupicaia is Cabernet-based, while Cabernet, Merlot, and Sangiovese make up the just-as-fabulous Tassinaia. The white Con Vento is rich and quite distinctive."


Bere “Character must out for a champion wine”

The monthly Bere, in its "Leaders" feature of April 2004, dedicated four full pages to Gian Annibale Rossi di Medelana. Entitled "Character must out for a champion wine," the article covered the entire professional career of Terriccio's owner, as well as the winery's history and growth, and concluded with a lively interview on the difficult question of wine prices and on the inability of the producer, once the wine has left the winery, to control its retail price in the wine bar and restaurant. Rossi di Medelana details the efforts expended at every step to ensure the ultimate quality of Lupicaia and its brothers, and the not inconsiderable investment necessary to make the wine known, to "get it tasted," around the world. A remarkable undertaking, that "brings with it a very high cost in human, physical, and--not least--economical terms.”


Guida delle guide “Lupicaia 2001 among the top Italian wines!”

With the Lupicaia 2001, our winery has joined the select group of the best Italian wineries, as indicated by a combined score of wines ranked by the five most popular wine guides published by various wine journals. According to the monthly Class (December 2004 issue), Lupicaia 2001 vaults Castello del Terriccio into 25th place among the top Italian wines, but that climbs to 15th place (among the 226 top-ranked Italian wines), according to the Guida delle guide (Guide to the guides) published by Il Mondo, the business weekly published by Corriere della Sera, in its February 11, 2005, issue. The Jan-Feb 2005 issue of the monthly Civiltà del bere states that Lupicaia 2001 is in the ranks of those 33 wines that "have been cited for excellence in 4 out of 5 guides. [back to top]


Veronelli: Elegant Lupicaia

Sunday, February 1 2005. Luigi Veronelli devoted his Corriere della Sera column, "Agrodolce" (Sweet-sour), to Terriccio and to Lupicaia. This elegant piece, now certainly a document, can be found, along with the Castello del Terriccio profile, on page 478 of the Guida Oro: I Vini di Veronelli 2005. We include it here as a remembrance of the bond between our winery and the unforgettable Gino. "Mid-July 2000. A kite--either a flying stag or a flying dragon--soared high over Montescudaio (the kite is a fascinating object, born of the desire of man to communicate with the gods). In the luminous evening, thankfully cooler than expected, it reigned above me, as I watched it, an anchor to reality, from the surrounding hillside roads. It brought me to Barbara and Giorgio Scarpa of the "Il Frantoio" restaurant and to Lupicaia. A meal for warm friends: mountain prosciutto, pappa al pomodoro, tagliatelle al ragù, tripe, stuffed rabbit, and extra-aged pecorino. And the wine, Lupicaia. The first sip overwhelmed with its elegance and impressive dimensions. I later met the producer, Gian Annibale Rossi di Medelana, of the Tenuta del Terriccio, in Castellina Marittima, today my closest friend, and a true god (I am not blaspheming, simply using its most liberal sense). Upon my inviting him to participate in the wine event "Fiera dei particolari/Terra e libertà/Critical Wine," at the Centro Sociale Leoncavallo in Milano, he responded, "You have my sincere admiration, as a groundbreaker and as a human being, for your dedication and for the passion you exhibit in improving the quality and typicity of our products. No one certainly could fail to participate in this event, involving so many young people, knowing that everything you are working for today will go to make up the culture of our society tomorrow. A very warm thank you." Gian Annibale isn't aware of it, but it is I who owe him a debt of thanks. An aristocratic farmer with 1,700 hectares of land, offering panoramic views of stunning beauty everywhere you look, with which he produces his Cabernet-Merlot Lupicaia, as well as Castello del Terriccio, a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, Tannat, and Cabernet Sauvignon (to whose 2001 vintage Daniel Thomases gave 94/100), and a heavenly olive oil. His soul is one with the earth. The estate also has a competition horse-breeding farm. During the 1970s, Gian Annibale competed internationally in the most demanding of riding disciplines, eventing, until a horse fell on him in an accident in 1979 and ended those activities. Now immobilised, Gian Annibale takes intense pleasure in his hundred brood mares, stallions, and foals. He wants them to win competitions and trials, just like his wines." [back to top]