Castello del Terriccio Lupicaia 6 Bottle Vertical Set (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010)

2004 Lupicaia

93 Points - Wine Enthusiast

Lupicaia (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot) is said to be influenced by the eucalyptus trees that border the vineyard. Indeed, spicy green notes reminiscent of pungent peppercorn distinguish this wine and are at the core of a complex embroidery of aromas that include black fruit, spice and vanilla.

2005 Lupicaia

95 Points - Jeb Dunnuck

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the 2005 Lupicaia is layered with redcurrant, tobacco, dried red flowers, and leather. The palate is full but elegant and long, and the wine is very attractive with red-fruited perfume, fine-grained tannins, and a refined approach. This graceful wine is in a beautiful place now.

2006 Lupicaia

95 Points -  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

It's amazing how consistent these wines have been under the guidance of Carlo Ferrini, who has been the consulting winemaker at Castello del Terriccio since 1993, the first year this wine was released. The 2006 Lupicaia has held up well in the bottle, with its ripe fruit, black cherry and ripe blackberry, along with chocolate and spice. The wine shows evolved notes of cured tobacco and leather, and you can really taste the compact nature of the fruit. There is good concentration and richness here as well, which I think is mostly due to the style of the times. You could say that this vintage represents the younger bookend of this stylistic era.

2007 Lupicaia

96 Points - Jeb Dunnuck

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the 2007 Lupicaia takes on more concentrated aromas of balsamic, kirsch, leather, and crushed violets. The palate is full, compact, and long, with a rich, velvety texture, ripe tannins, and notes of black olive tapenade, dried blackcurrant, and turned soil. This is a potent wine with a lot to offer for a more warming style. Drink 2022-2032.

2008 Lupicaia

93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2008 Lupicaia also shows good balsamic notes, greener than the others, and it definitely shows its age thanks to its tertiary aromas. However, this vintage doesn't have that tension or vertical lift that you get in the 2009. It shows less overall dimension. The tannins have fully integrated, and the wine has less textural heft as well.

2010 Lupicaia

95 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2010 Lupicaia is another fruit-forward vintage, showing great intensity and depth. What makes this wine unique is its streamlined and focused nature. Overall, it is a ripe, generous and very intense wine with rich flavors and concentration. The integrated tannin are dusty and fine. It would pair well with rich and gamey meats like liver, innards or venison.

Notes from the Winemaker

The Castello del Terriccio (Castle of the land) dates back roughly 1000 years. The modern history of the estate begins after World War I, when it was acquired by Count Serrafini Ferri, whose family still owns the property. In the 1920s the Serrafini Ferris' implemented major improvements to the property. This family laid the groundwork for the estate that remains more or less unchanged today.

Up to the 1970s the estate was known mainly for production of grain, it even held the European record for production of second harvest corn. This specialization in grain continues today but also in the organic production of spelt (dinkel wheat), corn, forage and olive groves – but this has been overshadowed in recent times by the estate's expertise and reputation for viticulture and the production of fine wines. It expanded from 25 hectares of vineyards (62 acres) in 1980 to 60 hectares (148 acres) today.

Cultivation of vines in this area dates originally back to the Etruscans, after which it was abandoned and then begun again. At the end of the 1980s a new phase of viticulture started, with the aim of fully exploiting the potential of the land for production of vines. Today vines are cultivated under IGT- Indicazione Geografica Tipica.