94 points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

The 1997 Lupicaia is largely the result of an April frost that swept through much of Tuscany that year, dramatically lowering yields. The 1997 is remarkable for the sheer weight and concentration of its fruit. “The wine possesses awesome richness in a full-bodied style.” Some of the ripeness has been achieved at the expense of aromatic complexity, but nevertheless the 1997 Lupicaia remains a superb wine that should continue to age gracefully on the sheer depth of its fruit. Robert Parker, January 2010

93 points Wine Spectator

A solid, compacted red, with intense aromas of smoke, dark chocolate and ripe fruit. Full-bodied, with lots of chewy tannins and a long, long finish. “Very extracted style. Give it time. Shows some class.” James Suckling, October 2000

Cult Wines International Notes:

Castello del Terriccio stands as one of the most legendary, high-altitude coastal estates in Tuscany, situated near Castellina Marittima in the hills along the Maremma coast overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Spanning over 1,500 hectares of wild forest, olive groves, and iron-rich maritime slopes, the historic property was transformed into an elite viticultural icon under the visionary leadership of the late Cavaliere Gian Annibale Rossi di Medelana. First released in 1993, Lupicaia quickly established itself as a benchmark Super Tuscan, rivaling the finest coastal Cabernets of Bolgheri. Crafted predominantly from old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon blended with a small, strategic proportion of Petit Verdot, the wine is named after the estate’s historic hillside where wolves were traditionally known to gather.

The 1997 growing season across Tuscany is celebrated as a monumental, historically rich vintage, though it began with severe viticultural drama. A rare, sudden April frost swept through central Italy, drastically reducing cluster yields across the estate. However, the surviving berries enjoyed an extraordinarily hot, sun-drenched summer tempered by cool maritime breezes off the nearby coast. The iron- and stone-rich soils reflected intense sunlight, driving the low-yielding Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot blocks to extreme levels of sugar concentration, thick skin phenolics, and rich structural density. Hand-harvested with rigorous sorting, the juice underwent extended maceration in stainless steel before aging for nearly two years in 100% new French oak barriques.

At nearly thirty years of bottle age, the 1997 Castello del Terriccio ‘Lupicaia’ has evolved into a deeply concentrated, opulent tertiary masterwork. The explosive primary fruit of its youth has settled into a lavish tapestry of black cherry confit, espresso bean, dark cocoa, cured leather, graphite, and wild coastal maquis herbs. On the palate, the wine retains remarkable weight and power; the once-chewy tannins have smoothed into a dense, velvety matrix balanced by an undercurrent of iron-like minerality and warm Mediterranean spice. This rare, fully mature library release represents an essential acquisition for collectors seeking a profound, full-bodied icon from one of Tuscany’s most celebrated modern vintages.