2018 Rocca delle Macie Sergioveto Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Italy
Tasting Notes
Ruby red with garnet reflections, rich and persistent, with a balanced amount of oak from the barrel aging. A well-balanced wine, dry and refined, with good structure and a long finish.
First released in the 1985 vintage, this wine was created by Italo Zingarelli as an homage to his son, Sergio, who in that same year joined his father at the helm of the winery. After a strict selection of Sangiovese grapes from the ‘Pian Della Casina’ vineyard and careful fermentation, the wine ages for at least two years in the Zingarelli family cellars. This is a well-structured, balanced, and polished wine, offering up hints of red berries and jam. An excellent match for meat and game dishes and seasoned cheeses. Serve at a temperature of 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Background
For well over 50 years, the Zingarelli family has dedicated itself to crafting the finest wines, providing meticulous attention to the vineyards, and championing Chianti Classico DOC. Established in 1973 by acclaimed Italian film producer Italo Zingarelli, Rocca delle Macìe totals 600 hectares (1,500 acres) across six estates in Tuscany. Led today by Italo’s son Sergio, his wife Daniela, and two children, Rocca delle Macìe is one of Tuscany’s leading wine estates. Ser Gioveto was first created in 1985 by Italo as an attribute to his son Sergio, who began working alongside him at the winery that same year; the name of the wine is also a reference to the archaic name of Sangiovese, the main grape chosen for the wine. The 2015 harvest is, for the first time, under the Chianti Classico Riserva appellation, and produced with 100% Sangiovese from a single vineyard.
Winemaking & Aging
Hand-selected berries undergo 8-10 days of alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel vats, with 10-15 days of skin maceration. The wine ages an additional 20-24 months in French oak barrels, followed by one year in the bottle.
Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973 when former Boxer and Movie director Italo Zingarelli decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate (extending across 93 hectares (230 acres) in all, of which only two were under vine) in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone. Rocca delle Macìe implements agronomic techniques that are geared not only towards constantly improving the products but also towards respecting the environment.
Rocca delle Macìe was established on a solid base of ethical values, constructed by Italo in order to make his dream a reality. The respect of his children and their capacity to build upon what they had received did the rest. The Zingarelli family has not compromised on this approach as the business has grown. Rocca delle Macìe has now become one of the largest wine producers in Italy, and remains committed to preserving a land that is healthy and clean, and always in a position to offer up its very best fruits.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2018 Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico - $55 = 21.56%
After receiving notice of incoming Rattage last week I pondered what new adventure awaited. Imagine my surprise by the rooster at my doorstep, the arrival of 2018 Sergioveto. Rocca Del Macie is a premium “Cantina” producing wonderful Chianti Classico and the rooster is always welcome at my table. Even more exciting was knowing that Casemates has tapped into a new supply of exciting old world offerings, especially from Italy. As part of the onboarding for my new job we were asked what our favorite beverage was and not to appear like too much of a wine geek. I answered “any red wine from Italy”. It looks like my wishes were answered this week. Unfortunately this bottle was riding around in a hot UPS truck for 2 days and was notably warm to the touch when I immediately unpacked it. My digital probe read 88.4 degrees F in the heel of the bottle. I do not have enough expertise to say whether this impacted the tasting but I cooled it down to 68 before opening.
Now for the main event! After greeting the rooster I popped the cork with my trusty Murano wine key. Unfortunately I couldn’t find the one with the Rocca Del Macie logo. The color is a lighter shade of purple and is translucent when pouring but more opaque in the glass. As compared to the more professional tasting notes out there I experienced more stone fruit and red fruit such as cherry and plum in contrast to the tasting notes mentioning dark fruits. The wine is acidic up front and eases into a more long lasting and concentrated fruit leather like finish. The tannic structure is bold and up front and expert reviews opine that this will peak in a couple of years if you have the patience and cellar capacity to lay it down. I made a rookie error in not using an aerator when I first opened the bottle. By the time I ate some cheese and got to the main course of chicken parm and spaghetti it didn’t matter. But I did use the Vinturi to aerate the last sip and I would recommend pouring through an aerator or decanter if drinking before it peaks. For desert we cut up some peaches and let them soak in what was left in our glasses and also broke out some chocolate. The pairing was successful with all 3 courses and this offering I suspect will pair well with whatever it is served with. IMO a Chianti Classico Riserva at a compelling price is an auto buy and since we do not see Italian wines roll around Casemates very often I suspect this one will sell out quickly. I wonder if we will hear from our winemakers across the pond? Stay tuned, I suspect this will get more interesting!
Gismondi On Wine…
92 points. The first Sergioveto was made in 1985 as an homage from Italo Zingarelli to his son Sergio who joined the company that year. Ser Gioveto is also a reference to the archaic name of Sangiovese, Sangioveto, the primary grape chosen for the new wine. Since 2015, a Chianti Classico Riserva has been produced with 100% sangiovese grapes from a single vineyard: Pian Della Casina. The wine is aged 20-24 months in French oak barrels, plus an extra year in bottle. The wine is dense and packed with dark plum streaked with balsamic. The tannins are measured and round but plentiful at this point. There is no rush to drink this wine. Notes of leather and pipe tobacco round out the dry finish. It will begin to open through 2026 and beyond to be all it can be, which will be considerable. Anthony Gismondi 4/1/23
…
94 points
A really bright, fruity red with blackberry and cherry aromas and hints of orange peel. It’s medium-bodied with a very tight palate and an intense finish. Very tight and firm. Needs a year or two to open. Try after 2022. James Suckling - July 2021
WinesCritic.com…
92 points. Complex and intriguing, asking for air as it was designed with a light reduction. Slowly emerging in the glass notes of red plums, black tea leaves, crushed tobacco, blood orange and mandarin rind. Medium to full bodied, fine grain light tannins and a balanced finale of remarkable personality. Drink now or hold. Raffaele Vecchione Aug '21
Vinum Magazine (www.vinum.eu)
17/20. Starts with a lot of esprit on notes of red berries and flowers; fresh in the mouth with accentuated acidity, but also well structured with fine-grained tannins, ending on notes of red forest fruits. Drink 2023 - 2027
jancisrobinson.com…
16+ Classic styling of Chianti with the light body, bitter cranberry fruit, very fine tannic feathers and typical green-olive bitterness on the finish. Fairly brief finish. Drink 2023 -2033 (RH) 11/28/23
Falstaff…93 points Feb/22
5StarWines - the Book - Vinitaly 91 points 4/22
@kaolis What I forgot Spectator? Well here we go, this will push y’all over the edge I’m sure…ha!
89 points. This is rich and dense, with mouthfilling flavors of plum, cherry, leather and earth flavors, which are backed by dusty tannins. Just a bit pinched on the finish now. Best from 2023 through 2030. 550 cases made, 300 cases imported. Bruce Sanderson September 2, 2021
@kaolis Glad to see my tasting descriptors were accurate and aligned with the pros! I don’t subscribe or have access to WS. Also surprised to see this Riserva listed simply as Chianti Classico. Riservas tend to be more highly rated and command higher prices. This particular offering does not appear to be widely available and depending on vintage can be found on Wine Searcher for $30-50 plus shipping. Summer hold is highly recommended so bottles do not arrive at 88 degrees like mine did. Option to mitigate shipping harm is appreciated but make sure to click the correct link.
/giphy voluptuous-affable-newt
In for a case. The Ricasoli Brolio offered earlier this summer was tasty. Always ready to drink more Italian reds, Sangiovese especially. Love seeing these starting to pop up here more often, helps keep me away from WTSO.
I was super excited to see my Rattage wine! I actually visited the winery about 23 (gasp) years ago, about a year or two after I got in to the wine business. The distributor made the appt for me when I mentioned I was going to Tuscany. It was by far, and remains still, one of the best winery visits I’ve ever done overseas. Yes, it’s the old “spaghetti westerns” guy and yes the winery is very commercial, but the on-site wines were amazing, some you’ll never see in the US, the property is amazing, the hospitality was so great, lunch, tour, everything. Highly recommend if you’re ever over there!
OK. the wine. first impressions on the nose, very floral, very “purple” - rose, violet, maybe herby lavender. The wine is not inky, more transparent, ruby in color - I was glad to see as I love a more balanced and lighter bodied Sangiovese.
First sips, some good tannin, tea-tannins style, not teeth-stripping style. Flavors were a bit muted - not in a bad way, just that it needs air. We gave it a few hours and had it with spaghetti and meatballs, it opened up with the red-sauce and definitely with the meatballs alone, it showed more red fruits and brambly flavors, also echo’d the herbs/garrigue.
I’d definitely give this some air before serving, or even decant. For $17/b, I’d say this is a good buy and definitely one to lay down a few and try over several years. I really liked this wine and am thrilled to see Casemates offer this from a brand I have loved all my wine biz career !!
I loved this vineyard when we visited, also some years ago like @tastebud. It’s a lovely place and the nearby village is so quaint. We ended up staying there for a few days in the old pallozo.
I see on the state map someone in Monroe County, NY bought this - we need to connect (maybe) I would have loved to split this, no way do i have room for 12
@free2day33611 It is a single vineyard riserva. The picture of the bottle is accurate. Listing as " Sergioveto Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico Riserva" would have answered your questions.
We visited Rocca delle Macia in 2022, loved the venue and the wines. Didn’t taste this particular bottle, but I’m still going in for four.
/giphy vile-amusing-pesto
Not sure that I understand yet – am just wondering why I could purchase a case of the current offer for August delivery while the Summer Hold option is Sold Out. It seems that there must be a limited amount of “hold” space (e.g., 10 cases) allocated to each offering. Is this assumption correct?
@Zortapa we try our best to anticipate how many of each we can offer. If one option sells out and we have some available to move, we try to accommodate that.
If you say “sold out” it tags me and I’ll get an email and try to help.
2018 Rocca delle Macie Sergioveto Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Italy
Tasting Notes
Background
Winemaking & Aging
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale on winery website, $480/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Aug 11 - Tuesday, Aug 12
2018 Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico
4 bottles for $84.99 $21.25/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $199.99 $16.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2018 Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico - $55 = 21.56%
After receiving notice of incoming Rattage last week I pondered what new adventure awaited. Imagine my surprise by the rooster at my doorstep, the arrival of 2018 Sergioveto. Rocca Del Macie is a premium “Cantina” producing wonderful Chianti Classico and the rooster is always welcome at my table. Even more exciting was knowing that Casemates has tapped into a new supply of exciting old world offerings, especially from Italy. As part of the onboarding for my new job we were asked what our favorite beverage was and not to appear like too much of a wine geek. I answered “any red wine from Italy”. It looks like my wishes were answered this week. Unfortunately this bottle was riding around in a hot UPS truck for 2 days and was notably warm to the touch when I immediately unpacked it. My digital probe read 88.4 degrees F in the heel of the bottle. I do not have enough expertise to say whether this impacted the tasting but I cooled it down to 68 before opening.
Now for the main event! After greeting the rooster I popped the cork with my trusty Murano wine key. Unfortunately I couldn’t find the one with the Rocca Del Macie logo. The color is a lighter shade of purple and is translucent when pouring but more opaque in the glass. As compared to the more professional tasting notes out there I experienced more stone fruit and red fruit such as cherry and plum in contrast to the tasting notes mentioning dark fruits. The wine is acidic up front and eases into a more long lasting and concentrated fruit leather like finish. The tannic structure is bold and up front and expert reviews opine that this will peak in a couple of years if you have the patience and cellar capacity to lay it down. I made a rookie error in not using an aerator when I first opened the bottle. By the time I ate some cheese and got to the main course of chicken parm and spaghetti it didn’t matter. But I did use the Vinturi to aerate the last sip and I would recommend pouring through an aerator or decanter if drinking before it peaks. For desert we cut up some peaches and let them soak in what was left in our glasses and also broke out some chocolate. The pairing was successful with all 3 courses and this offering I suspect will pair well with whatever it is served with. IMO a Chianti Classico Riserva at a compelling price is an auto buy and since we do not see Italian wines roll around Casemates very often I suspect this one will sell out quickly. I wonder if we will hear from our winemakers across the pond? Stay tuned, I suspect this will get more interesting!
Recently came back from a week-long trip to Italy where I discovered wine windows around Florence. Great to see a Chianti offered here!
/giphy ginormous-serious-toffee
This one brings back some memories. The vineyard is nearby Castellina in Chianti, our favorite village in Tuscany.
Gismondi On Wine…
92 points. The first Sergioveto was made in 1985 as an homage from Italo Zingarelli to his son Sergio who joined the company that year. Ser Gioveto is also a reference to the archaic name of Sangiovese, Sangioveto, the primary grape chosen for the new wine. Since 2015, a Chianti Classico Riserva has been produced with 100% sangiovese grapes from a single vineyard: Pian Della Casina. The wine is aged 20-24 months in French oak barrels, plus an extra year in bottle. The wine is dense and packed with dark plum streaked with balsamic. The tannins are measured and round but plentiful at this point. There is no rush to drink this wine. Notes of leather and pipe tobacco round out the dry finish. It will begin to open through 2026 and beyond to be all it can be, which will be considerable. Anthony Gismondi 4/1/23
94 points
A really bright, fruity red with blackberry and cherry aromas and hints of orange peel. It’s medium-bodied with a very tight palate and an intense finish. Very tight and firm. Needs a year or two to open. Try after 2022. James Suckling - July 2021
WinesCritic.com…
92 points. Complex and intriguing, asking for air as it was designed with a light reduction. Slowly emerging in the glass notes of red plums, black tea leaves, crushed tobacco, blood orange and mandarin rind. Medium to full bodied, fine grain light tannins and a balanced finale of remarkable personality. Drink now or hold. Raffaele Vecchione Aug '21
Vinum Magazine (www.vinum.eu)
17/20. Starts with a lot of esprit on notes of red berries and flowers; fresh in the mouth with accentuated acidity, but also well structured with fine-grained tannins, ending on notes of red forest fruits. Drink 2023 - 2027
jancisrobinson.com…
16+ Classic styling of Chianti with the light body, bitter cranberry fruit, very fine tannic feathers and typical green-olive bitterness on the finish. Fairly brief finish. Drink 2023 -2033 (RH) 11/28/23
Falstaff…93 points Feb/22
5StarWines - the Book - Vinitaly 91 points 4/22
fwiw
@kaolis What I forgot Spectator? Well here we go, this will push y’all over the edge I’m sure…ha!
89 points. This is rich and dense, with mouthfilling flavors of plum, cherry, leather and earth flavors, which are backed by dusty tannins. Just a bit pinched on the finish now. Best from 2023 through 2030. 550 cases made, 300 cases imported. Bruce Sanderson September 2, 2021
@kaolis Glad to see my tasting descriptors were accurate and aligned with the pros! I don’t subscribe or have access to WS. Also surprised to see this Riserva listed simply as Chianti Classico. Riservas tend to be more highly rated and command higher prices. This particular offering does not appear to be widely available and depending on vintage can be found on Wine Searcher for $30-50 plus shipping. Summer hold is highly recommended so bottles do not arrive at 88 degrees like mine did. Option to mitigate shipping harm is appreciated but make sure to click the correct link.
@surfyguitar Nice note, but aligning with the pros isn’t always a good thing…ha! And what is this aerator thing you speak of?
@kaolis. Vinturi available @ vinturi.com. Many also listed on ebay. There are also other brands and manufacturers.
/giphy voluptuous-affable-newt
In for a case. The Ricasoli Brolio offered earlier this summer was tasty. Always ready to drink more Italian reds, Sangiovese especially. Love seeing these starting to pop up here more often, helps keep me away from WTSO.
I was super excited to see my Rattage wine! I actually visited the winery about 23 (gasp) years ago, about a year or two after I got in to the wine business. The distributor made the appt for me when I mentioned I was going to Tuscany. It was by far, and remains still, one of the best winery visits I’ve ever done overseas. Yes, it’s the old “spaghetti westerns” guy and yes the winery is very commercial, but the on-site wines were amazing, some you’ll never see in the US, the property is amazing, the hospitality was so great, lunch, tour, everything. Highly recommend if you’re ever over there!
OK. the wine. first impressions on the nose, very floral, very “purple” - rose, violet, maybe herby lavender. The wine is not inky, more transparent, ruby in color - I was glad to see as I love a more balanced and lighter bodied Sangiovese.
First sips, some good tannin, tea-tannins style, not teeth-stripping style. Flavors were a bit muted - not in a bad way, just that it needs air. We gave it a few hours and had it with spaghetti and meatballs, it opened up with the red-sauce and definitely with the meatballs alone, it showed more red fruits and brambly flavors, also echo’d the herbs/garrigue.
I’d definitely give this some air before serving, or even decant. For $17/b, I’d say this is a good buy and definitely one to lay down a few and try over several years. I really liked this wine and am thrilled to see Casemates offer this from a brand I have loved all my wine biz career !!
I loved this vineyard when we visited, also some years ago like @tastebud. It’s a lovely place and the nearby village is so quaint. We ended up staying there for a few days in the old pallozo.
I am in for a case, summer hold of course.
/giphy indefatigable-thermal-templar
/giphy handy-preferable-kangaroo
Summer roll of dice
I see on the state map someone in Monroe County, NY bought this - we need to connect (maybe) I would have loved to split this, no way do i have room for 12
/giphy nerdy-dramatic-direction
I’d be interested in a split around providence
As I googled the wine, I see a black bottle that is also a reserve. Just curious, is it the same or different? Or a different vineyard?
@free2day33611 I have the same question.
@free2day33611 It is a single vineyard riserva. The picture of the bottle is accurate. Listing as " Sergioveto Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico Riserva" would have answered your questions.
@free2day33611 @surfyguitar Soooooo…is this the same wine….
Or this one…
Or how about this one….
@Allieroon @free2day33611 Red circle, Sergioveto
We visited Rocca delle Macia in 2022, loved the venue and the wines. Didn’t taste this particular bottle, but I’m still going in for four.
/giphy vile-amusing-pesto
Apologies if this has been addressed previously, but is there a limit on the number of cases/offering that is allocated to Summer Hold?
@Zortapa Initially, yes, but they adjust as some of the buckets sell out.
@Zortapa Yes
you can purchase no more than two of any offer.
Not sure that I understand yet – am just wondering why I could purchase a case of the current offer for August delivery while the Summer Hold option is Sold Out. It seems that there must be a limited amount of “hold” space (e.g., 10 cases) allocated to each offering. Is this assumption correct?
@thumperchick
@Zortapa @thumperchick The powers that be have been summoned!
@Zortapa we try our best to anticipate how many of each we can offer. If one option sells out and we have some available to move, we try to accommodate that.
If you say “sold out” it tags me and I’ll get an email and try to help.
@thumperchick
@Thumperchick Understood. It would be appreciated if my order could be move to Summer Hold.
@Zortapa Hey - I’m sorry, I thought I replied to you last week.
We can’t change an order once placed.
Our usual work around would be to cancel the original order and reorder for the other option.
I’m sorry we didn’t catch this one in time.