The 2013 was very good, which I can say with reasonable confidence having slurped through a case or two. But wow, this is even better. The fruit is so bright and juicy, the palate is just so pure and vibrant. Despite the delicious ripe fruit, it still has dusty tannins and restraint, and is distinctly Chianti. Back up the truck.
Always a classic and my favorite Chianti along with Felsina Rancia. Really nice people there too.
Good to see your note, Kent, as I just picked a few up.
Great note, Ken. I had this a few weeks ago and you nailed it. Delicious, ripe fruit but without too much weight.
Speaking of, does anyone know how to get in touch with the winery? I’m in Chianti next week and tried to find contact info. They have a generic FB page and no website that I could find. Sorry for the thread drift. After this bottle recently, I wanted to try to visit!
I found this contact info on a consortium’s website:
Loc. Isole, 1
50021 Barberino Val di Elsa FI
Phone: +39 055 8072763
As much as I enjoy the Rancia, often times their CCR speaks more clearly to me.
I love the Felsina CCR, but frankly don’t “get” the Rancia. It doesn’t remind me of Sangiovese. People always say it “needs more time”, but they say that even about vintages like '95, '99 and '01, and it just doesn’t make sense that any Sangiovese would require more than 20 years to even taste like Sangiovese (when other, much more expensive AND delicious wines like Ceparello and Flaccianello drink well for most of their life). That said, I’m sitting on a few bottles of every decent vintage through 2010 (when I realized it just wan’t for me), and will continue to occasionally try them and see if my opinion changes.
John,
I store Rancia in the Bordeaux section of my cellar. 
Here are directions and phone number I have from a visit many years ago. They do ask for reservations ahead of time:
DIRECTIONS FROM FIRENZE:
Take the “Superstrada” (main highway) in the direction of Siena. Exit at San Donato (4th exit), and go left in the direction of Castellina/San Donato. Pass San Donato in direction of Castellina in Chianti/Siena. About 3-4km passed San Donato make a right (signs Monsanto/Olena). After 1km at a fork, keep left and climb the hill toward Monsanto, then go downhill. You will see a little chapel to the right and the entrance of the estate to the left.
DIRECTIONS FROM SIENA:
Take the “Superstrada” in the direction of Firenze. Exit San Donato. Go right, pass San Donato direction Castellina in Chianti/Siena. About 3-4km passed San Donato take a right (signs read Monsanto and Olena). After 1km at a fork, keep left and climb the hill toward Monsanto, then go downhill. You will see a little chapel to the right and the entrance of the estate to the left.
DIRECTIONS FROM CASTELLINA IN CHIANTI:
Take the road to San Donato in Poggio, approximately 7 km, from the crossing in Castellina. Turn left at the signs marking Montsanto and Olena. After 1km at a fork, keep left and climb the hill toward Monsanto, then go downhill. You will see a little chapel to the right and the entrance of the estate to the left.
Phone number 055 80 72 763
If there were no rules in Chianti, my favorite Chianti of all would be Ceparello. It is sublime!
Found the Rancia Riserva at a local shop on sale for $50. Just a stunning nose of anise and clove. Wow. This is great stuff.
Thanks for the info! I’ll report back if they answer.
I had the '95 two weeks ago and agree, especially with age.
I had the '95 two weeks ago and agree, especially with age.
Tried the 2016 Isole e Olena CC last night. I liked the 2015 as much as the OP did, but I think the 2016 is even better, with similar flavor profile but a bit more depth and perhaps slightly coarser tannin.
Thanks Paul, that’s good to know. I said back up the truck with regards to the '15, maybe we need to back up the ‘road train’ for the 2016 !
2015 was an epic vintage in the Southern Rhone, the Languedoc, and Tuscany.
2016 in the Southern Rhone & the Languedoc was a real head-scratcher, though - all the 2016 Grenache-dominated blends taste like barrel samples, and could need 75 to 100 years of cellaring in order to come around [if they ever come around].
Frankly, I couldn’t swallow any of the 2016 Grenache-based Southern Rhones & Languedocs that I tried [and they all had huge points from Jeb Dunnuck] - I had to spit them all out.
OTOH, I don’t know what that means for 2016 in Tuscany.
Nothing.
I just had the 2015 Isole e Olena Cepparello last week and it was stunning. It was so good that it prompted me to open a 2010 for comparison purposes and, while the '10 was quite good, the '15 was far superior.