The 2018 D'Alceo is a wild, exotic wine. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot come together in a wine that is sumptuous, layered and exceptionally beautiful. Inky blue/purplish fruit, sage, mint, lavender and chocolate are some of the many notes that take shape. The 2018 was fermented in cement then aged 12 months in a combination of 500L tonneaux and barriques. This really blooms with time. Castello dei Rampolla's Sammarco and D'Alceo have been benchmarks for several decades. Both 2018s will take their place among the best wines ever made here. Maurizia di Napoli and her brother, Luca, craft wines of notable intensity and pedigree. Biodynamic farming and low intervention winemaking are the rule. Of the two flagship wines, D'Alceo is a bit more opulent, likely because the terraced vineyards are south and south-east facing, while Sammarco has a bit more tannic backbone and energy. Both are off the charts great. Rated 99 Points Vinous.
