Italy · Tuscany

Isole e Olena

Isole e Olena is a Chianti Classico estate in the commune of San Donato in Poggio, owned and operated by Paolo De Marchi since 1976. De Marchi, a Piedmontese by birth who adopted Tuscany with singular conviction, has built one of the most respected reputations in the appellation through rigorous viticultural standards and winemaking clarity. The flagship Cepparello — a 100% Sangiovese Supertuscan first produced in 1980 — is one of the defining wines of Tuscany, consistently demonstrating what Sangiovese can achieve outside the Brunello framework. The Chianti Classico is equally precise: a benchmark for the appellation's potential. The estate also produces a small amount of Collezione Privata Cabernet Sauvignon. Across 445 auction lots, Isole e Olena averages $95 per bottle, with prices reaching $2,629 for older magnum-format Cepparello vintages. The 2010, 2015, and 2016 Cepparello have each earned scores of 96–98 from Wine Advocate and James Suckling. De Marchi's wines are defined by precision and minerality rather than extraction, making them among the most age-worthy in Chianti Classico.