FATTORIA LE PUPILLE Morellino di Scansano Riserva 2022 Bottle

Description

IN BRIEF
Fattoria Le Pupille Morellino di Scansano Riserva 2022 is a riper, focused Sangiovese that blends concentration with Maremma charm. Vivid ruby, it opens with sour cherry, black plum and mulberry, lifted by violet and Mediterranean herbs; airing reveals cured meat, black olive and smoked notes. Medium plus with a generous yet refined mid palate, ripe Morello cherry and damson sit within a polished tannic frame while bright acidity keeps the wine lively. Judicious oak adds clove, cedar and vanilla whispers, with hints of dried orange peel and leather on the finish. Built for food and modest ageing, drink 2026 to 2034. Critics: James Suckling 94 "Energy and verticality"; Wine Advocate 93 "Crunchy fruit"; Decanter 90 "Succulent bright fruits."

ABOUT THIS WINE
Fattoria Le Pupille Morellino di Scansano Riserva 2022 is a riper, more focused take on the estate’s signature Sangiovese, offering concentration and poise while retaining the sunny, convivial spirit of the Maremma. The colour is a vivid ruby with a clear core. The nose greets you with ripe sour cherry, black plum and a hint of mulberry, joined by fragrant violet and a warm potpourri of Mediterranean herbs. Give it a swirl and savoury notes of cured meat, black olive and a touch of smoked meat emerge, adding complexity and appetite appeal.

In the mouth the wine is medium plus in weight with a generous yet refined mid palate. Ripe red and black fruit sits at the heart, Morello cherry and damson leading the charge, while a firm but polished tannic frame gives the wine structure and a satisfying chew. There is a fine seam of acidity that keeps the wine lively and prevents the richness from becoming heavy. Oak is present but well judged, delivering subtle spice, cedar and a vanilla whisper that complements rather than competes with the fruit. Mid palate development brings a hint of dried orange peel and a little leather that brightens the finish and adds interest.

This Riserva is built for company and food but also rewards a little patience in the cellar. Drink 2026 to 2034, peaking 2028 to 2032. Serve slightly below room temperature with robust, rustic dishes: slow roasted shoulder of lamb, wild boar ragout with pappardelle, grilled ribeye with rosemary, porcini mushroom risotto or mature pecorino and charcuterie. It is equally at home with a wood fired pizza loaded with cured meats and peppers.

Generous, food friendly and quietly serious, Fattoria Le Pupille Morellino di Scansano Riserva 2022 is a Riserva that brings both crowd pleasing flavour and enough structure to keep enthusiasts interested.

JAMES SUCKLING 94 points
This wine shows energy and verticality, with aromas of dried cherries, strawberries, wild sage and rosemary. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and crunchy and delicious fruit. Very Tuscan, with clarity and brightness. Drink now.
James Suckling, Senior Editor

THE WINE ADVOCATE 93 points
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
Drink Date: 2026 - 2035
The Fattoria le Pupille 2022 Morellino di Scansano Riserva is primarily Sangiovese with a small addition of Cabernet Sauvignon that adds concentration and draws the wine toward a black-fruit spectrum while reflecting the warmth of a hot vintage. Still youthful, the wine’s 15 months in large oak casks reveal well-managed structure and tannins, with crunchy fruit lifted by notes of rose and violet. Careful attention to preserving acidity balances the depth and ripeness of the year, placing this wine about three-quarters along the estate’s scale of intensity and highlighting the precision of the winemaking approach.

DECANTER 90 points
Tasted by: James Button (at London, 05 Mar 2024)
Drinking Window: 2024 - 2027
This Sangiovese-dominant wine, with dashes of Alicante and Ciliegiolo, is just a great everyday red. It offers succulent, bright, creamy red fruits with a touch of spice. Enjoy with tomato-based pasta dishes. And if you like this, you must try the Riserva version which has more structure and depth.

VINOUS 90 points
The 2022 Morellino di Scansano Riserva is a tasty wine to drink now and over the next handful of years. Intense red-toned fruit, leather, cedar, tobacco and incense are front and center. The warmth of the year is evident, and yet this is very nicely done, with fine balance and tons of charm to match. It will be especially fine at the dinner table.
Antonio Galloni. Tasting date: February 2025

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ABOUT FATTORIA LE PUPILLE
Fattoria Le Pupille is a spirited Maremma estate that brought Morellino di Scansano from local curiosity to international conversation. The property was transformed from a modest family holding into a bold modern operation by Elisabetta Geppetti, who since the mid 1980s has led the estate with a mix of ambition and practicality. Today the business remains family centred: Elisabetta is supported by her children, Clara Gentili and Ettore Arturo Rizzi, who share responsibility for commercial strategy, vineyard care and cellar decisions.

Vineyards sit on warm, sunlit slopes at roughly 300 to 350 metres above sea level on predominantly sandy and arenaceous soils that give the wines a swaggering ripeness balanced by coastal freshness. The estate controls substantial acreage, with around eighty hectares under vine planted to Sangiovese, Alicante, Ciliegiolo and a selection of international varieties. Low yields, rigorous canopy work and selective hand picking are standard practice so that each parcel can deliver personality rather than volume.

Winemaking today is a family affair with Ettore Arturo Rizzi prominent in technical oversight. He works alongside the in house team to blend traditional Tuscan instincts with precise modern control. The cellar approach varies by cuvée: Morellino bottlings favour bright fruit and immediate charm, while top IGT wines such as Saffredi are treated with extended maceration and patient élevage to coax power, tannic grip and layered complexity. The team aims for gentle extraction and aromatic lift rather than brute force, so the wines feel generous yet tuned.

The range moves effortlessly from everyday food friendly reds to cult IGT bottlings and single vineyard cuvées. Saffredi sits at the playful apex: dense, plush and undeniably modern, yet grounded in a sense of place. Lighter cuvées show ripe cherry, wild herb and saline lift, making them superb with coastal cuisine, grilled meats and rustic Tuscan fare.

Le Pupille’s charm lies in its blend of family heart and experimental spirit. The Geppetti family remain adventurous, commissioning small trials, exploring parcel selection and refining blends, all while keeping the wines approachable and expressive. The result is a Maremma house that is as ready for a convivial table as it is for serious cellaring.