3,000 bottles, 50/50 Sangiovese and Merlot, two different terroirs in the same bottle. Cecchi Coevo 2021 is the Super Tuscan the estate has carried as flagship since 2006; in this vintage stripped from the previous four-grape blend down to two.
Miria Bracali, chief technologist at Cecchi for 26 years, called the wine on Sparks “a turning point in Cecchi’s oenological history.” Not a marketing line; the blend reduction and the increased clarity of style back it up.
The blend
50% Sangiovese from the Ribaldoni vineyard (Villa Rosa, Chianti Classico) and 50% Merlot from Poggio La Mozza (Val delle Rose, Maremma). Two Tuscan terroirs that rarely sit in the same bottle: the ancient, complex soils of Chianti Classico where Sangiovese has always belonged, and the maritime microclimate of Maremma where Merlot opens up.
Vinification
Hand harvest, double selection. Gentle press, fermentation in stainless steel without heavy tannin extraction. Full malolactic conversion. 18 months in French tonneaux, then 10 months on bottle before release. Bracali: “We don’t want a muscled wine. We aim for freshness, elegance and finesse.”
The 2021 vintage
Mild wet winter, cool spring with good flowering, dry summer for concentration, late-August rain for refinement, ideal harvest conditions in September-October. Bracali ranks 2021 in the top of recent vintages.
In the glass
Deep ruby. The nose delivers ripe red fruit, spicy with nutmeg, dried rosemary and thyme, violets and roses. Oak sits beneath, not on top. On the palate full-bodied yet surprisingly light-footed; round, fruity, tannins firm without forcing. A lot of cinnamon and nutmeg in the finish.
At the table
Herb-crusted tuna steak, wild mushroom risotto, aged Pecorino Toscano, Tuscan wild boar ragù. Bracali herself suggested fine dark chocolate; an unusual pairing but the spicy roundness of the wine carries it.
Verdict
Coevo 2021 shows the new direction of Tuscany: structure and heritage without weight or oak overload. Limited production and a clear evolution from earlier vintages. Launching March 2025 in Italy, USA, Canada, Brazil and Japan.
- Producer
- Cecchi
- Wine
- Coevo 2021
- Vintage
- 2021
- Region
- Tuscany
- Country
- Italy
- Grape
- 50% Sangiovese, 50% Merlot
Sources
- Famiglia Cecchi (official, Tuscany / Umbria): cecchi.net
- Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico (DOCG): chianticlassico.com
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