2013 I Collazzi Rosso Toscana IGT 750 ml

Doubling Down with Michelangelo in Impruneta

Over the last three decades, no critic has influenced the fate of Super Tuscans more than Wine Spectator’s former European bureau chief, James Suckling. In Tuscany, Suckling has carved out the deepest of niches, digging up discoveries with uncanny regularity and tipping off collectors before other pundits weigh in. Such was the case in 2013, when Suckling gushed over the Marchi family’s 2010 Collazzi, calling it “very balanced and beautiful” and “an amazing Bordeaux blend.”

That year, we booked an appointment at the ancient estate on the outskirts of Florence, on a hilltop above the town of Impruneta. The setting was everything we were told to expect: At the end of a cypress-lined driveway, a breathtaking split-level garden dazzled our eyes — 200-year-old oaks and chestnuts surrounded classic Tuscan flower beds. The villa itself, designed by Michelangelo himself, had been restored to all of its original grandeur — and more.

The Marchi family has owned the 16th century estate since 1933. Siblings Carlo Marchi, Grazia Marchi Gazzoni Frascara and Bona Marchi Frescobaldi now direct the fate and fortunes of the estate’s 960 acres, of which 50 are planted to vines. Over the last 20 years, the Marchis have invested heavily in the vines and cellar. Massive amounts of capital have been poured into replanting the vineyards at denser spacing, renovating the cellars to increase capacity and modernization, and vineyard personnel who could account for every row of vines. The latest generation of Marchis was relentless in the pursuit of producing exquisite wines that could rival the major players in Tuscany.

When we returned this past July to taste the Marchis’ newly released 2013 super cuvée, we were not surprised at its brilliance. Suckling too, was raving, calling it “structured and very rich” — worthy of 94 points! The Marchi siblings had taken full advantage of what Jancis Robinson described as the “classic” 2013 vintage, in which a cool spring preceded a “picture-perfect” summer. A long, slow ripening period, culminating with harvest in October, had allowed perfect sugar, color, and flavor to develop with no loss of freshness and acidity.

The 2013 Collazzi Super Tuscan blend is drawn from southwest-facing vines, rooted in perfectly rocky and sandy soils studded with limestone and receiving prolonged exposure to sunshine due to the natural amphitheater shape of the estate. The result is Napa-like black-fruit concentration with textbook Tuscan dusty-tannin backbone. The 2013 exudes dark fruit and is deeply rich on the mid-palate, slightly more powerful than normal in this vintage. We won’t blame you if you opt to stash this 2013 in your cellar for the long haul — Suckling seems to think it could use the rest — but this Cabernet-dominated blend was stellar after 45 minutes in a decanter. Either way you slice it, the 2013 Collazzi stands tall against the most renowned producers in the region at a fraction of the price.

Take the 2013 Solaia and Sassicaia for comparison; they’ll set you back $225 and $194 a bottle, respectively. Today’s 2013 Collazzi? $32/bottle, only on WineAccess. Just 100 cases available of the Super Tuscan that has James Suckling on his knees.