IPSUS 2021

“A special project put forth by the Mazzei family of Castello di Fonterutoli…Ipsus is a very etched and linear wine with an extreme sense of minimality and definition that I find irresistible.”
Monica Larner

The 2020 is a third offering of Ipsus for our customers in Asia, where we are exclusive, and a second for the UK where we are delighted to now have an allocation.

This is a singular project; one location, one variety, one wine. It is tempting to add “one man” for this is the brainchild, and home, of Giovanni Mazzei. The notes and information below were garnered from tasting with Thibaut Mathieu in London only last month.

Giovanni has a boyish enthusiasm that has really driven this splendid project. Having now visited the estate twice, it is a special place producing a special wine.

WILL HARGROVE
HEAD OF FINE WINE
OCTOBER 2024

THE HISTORY

In 2006, the Mazzei purchased a property of 150 ha in the hills of Chianti, in the hamlet of Castellina in Chianti. They were interested by the 50 ha of vines within the property. Previously the grapes coming from these vineyards, were sold to a leading Tuscany producer, to be blended with its own crop. But, to the Mazzei and particularly to Giovanni, son of the current head of the family business and the 25^th generation, the vines had superb potential. Through the following years, studying the vineyard, the vines, the micro-climates and the crop, the Mazzei identified 6.5 ha of vines, over 6 plots, which have a distinctive expression and supreme quality essentially a “monopole” as the six plots are all side by side. It was enough for Giovanni to move his home (and family) to the hamlet, in the middle of the vines, and to dedicate all his attention to making a wine unique to this place. With the 2015 vintage, Ipsus was born.

THE ESTATE

Ipsus, the wine, comes from a single estate, planted only to Sangiovese, in a localita called Il Caggio. There are the aforementioned six plots, for a small 6.5 ha of vines, around the top of the hill, surrounded by Tuscan forest, wildlife and tranquillity. The hamlet is composed of several buildings, currently home to Giovanni and his family as well as the ageing cellar of Ipsus. From the vintage 2023, there will be a winery to vinify the wine on the estate. Giovanni will renovate some of the other houses to become an exclusive abode, reserved for the happy few with an allocation of Ipsus. On request a personal chef will give a unique Toscana experience to visitors.

The climate is Mediterranean, well-ventilated (the infamous Bel-Air as it would be known in Bordeaux) because of the altitude - about 350m above sea level. It is perfectly exposed South-East to South-West to benefit from the sun. The vineyard is unobstructed on a stunning 150° view. The team works hand in hand with the University of Firenze, to tend the vineyard organically, without being certified. They do not prune, keeping only long shoots (like at Soldera). They do not use any chemicals to treat the soil or vines. They keep cover crops between the rows. The vines are an average of 30 to 40 years old. As you would expect replanting is done by massale selection.

The soil is a mixture of clay, limestone and the Albarese rock, crushed by the passing of time to small gravel. This is the typical rock of the Chianti area. The vineyards are well draining, thanks to a particularly fine texture of the earth. The vines are planted on the former bank of the old sea, at the time when the area was covered by water, several millions year ago. The Chianti valley, which was the bottom of the prehistorical sea has all the heavy and rich sediment, producing broader wines. The vineyards higher up like at Il Caggio are composed of finer sedimentary soil, resulting in more elegant wines of finesse and fine structure. The Mazzei are amongst the ultimate references in the Sangiovese varietal. Through time (they have been in this business for over 600 years), they have identified 36 clones of Sangiovese, 16 of which have been isolated by massale selection and are their own. They use 4 of these Mazzei clones at Il Caggio. The 36 clones are used across their vineyards, according to the soil typicity.

WINEMAKING

Currently, the winemaking is done at the state-of-the-art Fonterutoli winery, a few miles away. This was one of the first wineries in Tuscany to work purely by gravity. As mentioned above from the 2023 vintage, Ipsus will be made at Il Caggio. At harvest, Giovanni further breaks down the 6 plots into 16 micro-vinifications, all done separately, in stainless-steel tanks with indigenous yeasts and 24 days of submerged cap. The first blends are aged 70% in tonneaux (100% new), 20% in 15 hectolitre barrels, and 10% in ceramic vats for 26 months to get the best expression of the Sangiovese, aiming at vibrancy, freshness, elegance and luminosity. With the first vintages (2015 to 2017), the final blend was spending some time in concrete tank. But this has been replaced by ceramic round-shaped vessels from the 2018 vintage onwards. The 2019 was bottled on 29th July 2022. With better and better understanding of the vineyards and vines, a “less is more attitude” is promoted with regard to winemaking and ageing. This encourages vibrancy and purer fruit expression. “Simplicity” is a watch word.

THE WINE

Ipsus is a 100% Sangiovese wine, of which a paltry 2,500 to 4,500 bottles are made each year, depending on the vintage. 2015 was the first year to be bottled, the current release is vintage 2020 while 2022 is maturing in the quiet cellar at Il Caggio. Ipsus is a Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG

''After five years of hard work and dedication, searching Il Caggio for the greatest expression of our Sangiovese, we are proud to present you IPSUS 2020."
Giovanni Mazzei

The winter of 2019/2020 saw cool temperatures and generous rainfall. Following a refreshing spring, marked by adequate and evenly spaced showers. The extensive temperature fluctuations during the long, hot summer facilitated a seamless and trouble-free ripening period for the grapes.

This progression was further supported by scattered rainfall in June and early September, alleviating water stress whilst crucially avoiding the presence of pests and the threat of disease.

Although a few cold nights in April had affected the early bud break, 2020 was characterized by moderate temperatures and well-timed precipitation resulting in an exceptionally good harvest of lovely berries, each bunch presenting robust skins and fully matured phenolics.

Rainfall - the total rainfall between April 1^st and September 30^th - was 330 mm.

The “Temperature Index” - sum of average daily temperatures from April 1^st to September 30^th - was 3,680 °C.

The harvest began on September 22^nd and was done in 2 days

THE WINES

IPSUS 2020

This is the 6th vintage bottled by the estate but only the 5th to be released for sale. Giovanni decided to keep the 2017 for further ageingA lovely bright nose of red fruits with a latent darker fruit in the background. The overall impression here is of impeccable balance. An absence of edges. The fruit, (old) leather and a delicate smokiness all walk the tightrope well. The length is splendid. I expect this to gain a little weight and be even more glorious in 3-4 years. It is not, however, a waste to drink it

Corney & Barrow Score 18-18.5

Recommended drinking from 2026-2032+

£750 / case of 3 bottles, in bond UK
£525 / case of 1 magnum, in bond UK
£1,075 / case of 1 double magnum, in bond UK

IPSUS 2021Italy

HISTORY

THE VINEYARDS

THE VINEYARDS

THE VINEYARDS

WINEMAKING

THE WINE

Vintage Report

THE WINES

In-Bond / Retail products