2021 Percarlo, San Giusto a Rentennano: 99 points for a wine of 'mind-blowing balance' AG
The 2021 impresses with its purity of Sangiovese fruit and mind-blowing balance
Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, July 2024
2021 Percarlo, San Giusto a Rentennano
£455 per 6 bottle case in bond
"Two thousand twenty-one is the single greatest young vintage I have ever tasted in Chianti Classico. Period. Full stop. The 2021s are majestic wines endowed with striking aromatics, layered fruit and all the energy that is such a signature of the appellation. Quality is consistently high across the region, while many wines hit breathtaking peaks of excellence." So opens Antonio Galloni’s July 2024 article “Chianti Classico: The Magnificent 2021s”
Given that Percarlo 2021 is the third highest-scoring wine in his long list of wines tasted, it is surely fair to say that this invariably compelling wine is one of those that has hit a breathtaking peak of excellence. This is a wine that continues to represent astonishing value, remaining almost under the radar despite having been scored between 97 and 100 points by Galloni in all vintages going back to and including the 2010 vintage with a single blip for the 2014 vintage – at a mere 96 points! We would argue this is among the finest of Tuscany’s Sangiovese and are still surprised by the relative affordability it offers when compared to a whole host of more widely-touted Tuscan greats.
The San Giusto a Rentennano estate, which has been in the hands of the Martini di Cigala family for nearly a century, lies at the southern end of the Chianti Classico region. The location has so much going for it: near ideal exposure overlooking the Arbia river, soils rich in mineral components and a very significant switch between day and night time temperatures. This last feature is key in retaining valuable acidity and freshness of aromatics, a point we repeatedly highlight with so many wines.
While the family produce a very good Merlot and a respectable Chianti Classico, it is the estate’s headlining, pure Sangiovese, Percarlo that represents the great leap up the quality ladder. Cultivated organically, yields are restricted and the fruit is allowed to go a fraction beyond the normal level of ripeness. Understanding the optimum moment for harvest is critical in producing fine wines of incredible consistency.
Even in tricky years, when many Tuscan wines have struggled to deliver quality, Percarlo seems to come through with honours. This is surely in part due to the skilled team running the estate, but it also says plenty about the specifics of the location. Percarlo represents the pinnacle of San Giusto’s production – all the fruit for this wine is selected bunch by bunch from the estate’s finest ten hectares. The 2021 now joins an enviable roll-call of vintages, as highlighted in my comment about Galloni scores above. Sadly only around 3000 cases of six bottles were made.
Percarlo is a wine with considerable ageing potential in almost every vintage, yet it can be broached and enjoyed relatively early in its lifespan. In short, it is a superlative example of Tuscany’s greatest grape variety.
2021 Percarlo, San Giusto a Rentennano
£455 per 6 bottle case in bond
99 points, Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, July 2024
The 2021 Percarlo is every bit as stunning from bottle as it was from barrel. Rich and vivid in the glass, with striking complexity, the 2021 is a fine follow-up to the 2020. The 2021 is a bit tight relative to the 2020, but that is not a bad thing at all. If anything, I look forward to comparing these two monumental wines in a few years' time. For now, the 2021 impresses with its purity of Sangiovese fruit and mind-blowing balance. Hints of kirsch, blood orange and pomegranate linger on the vivid, exceptionally polished finish. What a wine. Drink 2028-2042
Volumes are limited so please advise of your interest early to avoid disappointment.
Richard
richard.omahony@atlasfinewines.com