Isola delle Falcole Vecchia Vigna Toscana 2022

Isola delle Falcole is a small, artisanal producer in Chianti that is making some serious waves as a hot new commodity on the Tuscan wine scene. This thrilling 2022 old-vine red blend is expressive as can be and can’t be found for a better price in the U.S., making it an absolute steal! 

Isola delle Falcole is a joint project between three long-time friends, headed up by Emanuele Graetz – who just might be the best guy to know in Italy. He’s the cousin of the wildly famous Bibi Graetz – the impassioned artist turned vigneron whose Testamatta wines have turned Tuscany on its head over the past couple of decades. And yet, Ema hails from a decidedly different world – scratching, grinding, and building his wine business from the ground up, with the sort of hustle and hard-work that gives him an almost omni-present aura. If you work in wine, anywhere from Italy to Champagne – Ema probably knows who you are.

Although he’s helped us get our hands on everything from Biondi Santi, to rising star Grower Champagne – it is his own label of Isola delle Falcole that gave us perhaps our biggest surprise of all. This rare and expressive 2022 Vecchia Vigna Toscana (“Old Vineyard of Tuscany”) red blend is absolutely thrilling to taste – inspired by Chianti Classico’s ancient regulations and traditional blends leading with Sangiovese and accentuated with Colorino, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Malvasia, and Trebbiano. The grapes hail from a microclimate between Montefioralle and Panzano, carefully hand-selected from south-east-exposed vineyards sitting at 400- to 520-meter elevation. The team allows natural fermentation to occur before aging 18 months in large barrels, resulting in something altogether elegant, energetic, and enchanting.

“This is an exciting property to watch.” -Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate

Brightly toned and lively, this is a wine that is light yet complex, aromatic yet approachable, delicate yet impressively deep. It seems a wine full of awe-striking range, no doubt thanks to its old-vine lineage and painstakingly passionate production. The expansive nose opens with a presentation of blood orange spray, wild berries and herbs, and dried cherry aromas. The first sips expose an even greater adventure – raspberry, lavender, crushed violet and rose petals, sweet cigar box, orange-cranberry sauce, and a wild, minty Alpine expression. This is a wine with great precision and depth, and a juiciness that’s balanced just so with minerality, acidity, and smooth tannins. We can’t get enough of it and are absolutely thrilled to have some to share with you! This is as classic, authentic Tuscany as a wine can get – make sure you get a few to last you a while!

FOOD PAIRINGS: A wine with this many layers deserves something rich and bright alongside it – I’m going with a seared steak salad with arugula, crumbled gorgonzola, pomegranate seeds, walnuts, shaved red onion, and a creamy balsamic vinaigrette.