2009 Giovanni Chiappini Guado de' Gemoli Bolgheri Superiore 750 ml

Giovannia Chiappini sits directly adjacent to Ornellaia and Le Macchiole in the heart of Bolgheri, the hallowed birthplace of Super Tuscans. Run by a father and two daughters, it’s not always spoken of in the same breath as the region’s massively famous icons that sit down the road.

In 2009, that changed after Wine Enthusiast’s ratings for Super Tuscans rolled in: Ornellaia scored 97 points and Sassicaia got 96—but Chiappini’s 2009 Guado de’ Gemoli bested the two giants, as the publication fêted it with a stunning 100-point review that lauded it as “a wine so beautiful and elegant, it is catapulted to the level of landmark vintages of its celebrated neighbors, Sassicaia and Ornellaia.” The magazine later placed it at #3 on their Top 100 Cellar Selections list of 2013.

The Guado de’ Gemoli cuvée sources grapes from two vineyards, one planted in 1978 and the other in 1986. Arguably, 2009 fulfilled the destiny of this prized terroir, prompting Vinous’ Antonio Galloni to opine: “The estate’s location in the heart of Bolgheri is as good as it gets.”

Chiappini has become a critical favorite over the years. Guado de’ Gemoli has “always been one of my personal darlings from the Bolgheri appellation,” Wine Advocate wrote—but 2009 represented a new watermark, attaining “impossible heights.” 

Composed of a huge, mouth-filling serving of Cabernet Sauvignon, plus 20% Merlot to soften the impact of the full-force, brooding, dark-fruit power, Guado de’ Gemoli is known for its hedonism. However, in 2009, sisters Martina and Lisa Chiappini pulled back slightly on ripeness to let something more complex and profound step forward.

Cellar-aged to perfection, this is a splurge that lives up to the hype.