Isole e Olena was made in 1956, when the lawyer Francesco De Marchi united the two villages of Isole and Olena into one estate. Isole holds the winery, the tasting room and a terrace over the Elsa Valley. Olena is a restored hamlet. In 1976 his son Paolo took over, and he picked his Sangiovese by tying ribbons on the most promising vines. In 2022 the De Marchi family handed the estate to Christopher Descours and his family. Emanuele Reolon is the Director of the Estate.
The 56 hectares of vineyard sit at 300 to 500 meters, on soils rich in clay schist, limestone and sandstone. The climate is milder here, with sea breezes. Sangiovese is the main grape, with Chardonnay, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon alongside it.
The estate calls Cepparello, its Chianti Classico and its Chardonnay its emblematic wines. Cepparello was first made in 1980 as a Sangiovese-only wine, and it still carries IGT classification. The estate has also restored terraces and planted ancient varieties of local fruit trees.
Not tasted yet
I haven't reviewed a wine from Isole e Olena yet. They're on my Top 100 list, which is built from awards.