San Martino (2001)

About this wine

This 2001 San Martino is built from Sangiovese grapes grown in the Conca d’Oro around Panzano in Chianti, and it shows mature aromas of black cherry, mulberry, and dried herbs. The palate is medium to full in body with concentrated red and black fruit, a core of baking spice and cedar from oak aging, and a firm but polished tannic frame. Over time the wine has developed leather, tobacco, and earthy underbrush notes that sit alongside a persistent savory finish. According to producer notes and technical sheets this wine undergoes controlled fermentation and extended oak maturation, which help explain its warm spice and vanilla tones. Contemporary critics praised the 2001 vintage for its richness and aging potential, noting a chocolatey depth and a velvety texture on the finish.

About the grape

Sangiovese is the sole grape in Villa Cafaggio San Martino, a variety with roots in central Italy that became the backbone of Tuscan wines and is prized for its firm acidity and red fruit character. At Villa Cafaggio the vines are grown in the Conca d Oro around Panzano in Chianti on silty clay loam soils derived from marl and calcareous sandstone, typically at elevations around 320 to 365 meters above sea level, which helps retain acidity and promote slow ripening. The estate uses high density plantings and traditional training methods such as Guyot and spurred cordon, and specific clonal material used on the estate includes well regarded Sangiovese clones, with winemaking for this bottling including extended oak aging for structure. In this bottling Sangiovese is left to express site and vintage, undergoing careful manual harvest and controlled fermentations so the grape s natural balance of tannin and acid can be preserved during maturation in oak for about 18 months.

Quick facts

• 🏰 The Villa Cafaggio estate traces its documented roots back to the early 1400s, so a bottle from 2001 comes from a site with over six centuries of history.
• 🍫 San Martino 2001 is made from pure Sangiovese, yet reviewers praised it for chocolate and plum notes that make it feel more like a big Tuscan red than a delicate Sangiovese.
• 🪵 The wine was aged about 18 months in oak barrels, which is why many tasters still detect pronounced vanilla and toast even decades after release.
• 🏆 Critics awarded the 2001 San Martino high scores, including a 92 from The Wine Advocate, giving this vintage collector appeal beyond everyday Chianti.
• 📜 Villa Cafaggio historically marketed San Martino as part of a long standing Villa Cafaggio label line that began in the 1960s, making the 2001 both modern and rooted in the estate tradition.

Palate profile

Producer

Villa Cafaggio, originally known as 'Cahago' meaning 'enclosed, cultivated field,' dates back to 1408. Located in Panzano in Chianti, Italy, the estate has been owned by various entities, including the Benedictine monks of Siena and the Niccolini family of Florence. In the late 1960s, the Farkas family revitalized the neglected property by renovating the wine cellars and replanting vineyards and olive groves. Today, Villa Cafaggio spans approximately 60 hectares, with 30 hectares dedicated to specialized vineyards, producing esteemed Chianti Classico wines.