2015 Siepi
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Tasting notes
By this point in this historic retrospective of 26 vintages, it becomes very easy to spot the warmest and sunniest vintages. The Mazzei 2015 Siepi (a blend of Merlot aged in French oak barrels for 18 months and Sangiovese aged in 500-liter casks) offers dark fruit, spice and lots of eucalyptus, rosemary and balsam herb. The wine also shows some elegant mineral tones with crushed limestone. These results are rich and generous, and what the wine lacks in depth, it makes up for in power and richness. Production was 38,000 bottles. Siepi was not made in the difficult 2014 vintage that saw above average rainfall and below average temperatures.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
The Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
No Siepi was produced from the challenging 2014 vintage. Alcohol: 14.37%. Total acidity: 6.38 g/l. Harvest after a relatively damp season: hand-picked from 8 September (Merlot), 23 September (Sangiovese). Fermentation temperature: 26–28 °C. Period of maceration: 14 days (Merlot), 18 days (Sangiovese). Ageing: 18 months in small French oak barriques (Merlot) and tonneaux (Sangiovese), 70% new in each case. Much earlier bottling: January 2017. Production: 38,000 bottles. Lighter garnet than some vintages, certainly than the 2013. Very appetising and very Tuscan and distinctive. That earlier bottling seems to have paid off, with the fruit very slightly more intense than the 2013 although both vintages are similar stylistically. This has particularly impressive persistence. (JR)
The 2015 Siepi, Mazzei's flagship Sangiovese/Merlot, is powerful and voluptuous on the palate. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, leather, licorice and espresso fill out the wine's ample frame nicely. Silky tannins and soft curves add to the wine's undeniable appeal. (AG)
This is a delightful 50-50 blend of Sangiovese and Merlot with a bold and contemporary personality. The 2015 Siepi is a consistent product year in and year out. The wine faithfully delivers a New World interpretation with an all-Tuscan soul. You get Italy-centric aromas of Mediterranean herb and rosemary backed by plump black cherry, sweet tobacco, clove and cinnamon. The oak influences are evident vis-à-vis the wine's structure and power. The mouthfeel is layered and textured. It is ready to drink now, but the bottle could also be put aside for the next 10 years. The Siepi vineyard is located on a well-exposed plateau some 260 meters above sea level. (ML)