How about some library Sammarco FOR FIFTY’ish BUCKS next?!

Wine Advocate 94, and 93+ from Vinous!

This classic ages tremendously well, see for yourself what the magic of almost a decade does…

Well, a decade is nearly here, and this beauty is just hitting its stride.

Wine Spectator explains “Rampolla is one of Tuscany’s most intriguingly unconventional estates - farming biodynamically long before it was fashionable and experimenting with everything from grape varieties to sulfite-free winemaking to wine amphorae made with an ancient material I’ll bet you’ve never heard of. Rampolla has gotten so good that, of late, it seldom produces a wine scoring less than Outstanding in Wine Spectator’s blind tastings.”

Continuing to recite the story of Sammarco “In 1980, Tachis and di Napoli vinified a Rampolla super Tuscan from Sangiovese and Cabernet. But in 1982, when the wine was ready for release, tragedy struck when di Napoli’s son Marco died in a helicopter crash. As a small way to cope with the crushing loss, friends urged him to name the wine for his son. The result, called Sammarco, has evolved over time to become dominantly Cabernet, consistently remaining a flagship.”

In a vertical of Sammarco back to 1981, Antonio Galloni for Vinous remarked “Rampolla has been one of Tuscany’s leading estates for more than 4 decades. This once-in-a-lifetime tasting encompassed every vintage of Sammarco back to 1981 and provided a rare opportunity to trace the arc of one of Tuscany’s most groundbreaking reds… The Rampolla wines are world-class, something that comes through loud and clear in this unforgettable tasting.”

For this underrated vintage Vinous said “I can’t wait to revisit these wines in a few years.” Well, Antonio, we got only 20 cases available while they last!

94 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“The 2014 Sammarco was bottled in August and will be released in January 2019. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Sangiovese. At this young stage, the wine already offers an impressive array of complex aromas with dark berry, spice and grilled herb neatly overlapping. Those tones are delivered with perfume-like grace and intensity. This vintage is streamlined and compact in terms of mouthfeel, and those youthful tannins remind us that this wine will award the best results to those who have the patience to wait. Drink 2020-2035.”

93+ Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“Castello dei Rampolla’s dual flagships, Sammarco and d’Alceo are both strong given the challenges of the 2014 growing season and the estate’s commitment to sustainable farming in a year Maurizia di Napoli describes as having had no sun. The wines were fermented in cement and aged in a variety of oak formats, cask for the Sangiovese mostly 500L tonneau for Sammarco and a mix of barrique and tonneau for d’Alceo. The Rampolla wines have a terrific track record in aging. I can’t wait to revisit these wines in a few years. The 2014 Sammarco is distinctly savory and nervous in this vintage, both reflections of the cool growing season that favored Cabernet Sauvignon over the other varieties in the blend. Sweet tobacco, grilled herbs, red cherry, menthol and dried flowers struggle to fully emerge, as the 2014 remains a touch compact today. Hints of rose petal and mint add a touch of freshness to this mid-weight, yet deeply expressive Sammarco. The 2014 is going to need time to fully emerge, but I expect it will always be a relatively understated Sammarco. Drink 2022-2034.”