Isole E Olena Cab Privata Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Isole e Olena Cab Privata Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 is a 750ml bottle of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Tuscany's Chianti Classico zone, bottled at 15% ABV. Antonio Galloni of Vinous awarded the 2020 vintage 97 points, praising its soaring aromatics of dark fruit, dried flowers, leather, and rose petal — a benchmark score for this consistently celebrated Tuscan Cabernet.

Quick Facts: ABV: 15%  |  Origin: Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy  |  Vintage: 2020  |  Producer: Isole e Olena

Production & Heritage

Isole e Olena is located in Barberino Val d'Elsa in the province of Florence, within the heart of the Chianti Classico appellation. The Collezione Privata Cabernet Sauvignon draws from a dedicated three-hectare vineyard planted on marly schists and limestone soils at 300–400 meters elevation with south-southwestern exposure, where the vines are more than twenty years old. Grapes are hand-harvested and hand-selected before fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with an extended maceration on the skins. The wine then ages in French barriques — one-third new oak, one-third second use, one-third third use — for one year, followed by a further two years of bottle aging before release. Production is deliberately small, reflecting the estate's commitment to intensity over volume.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with a complex, layered bouquet of wild blueberries, blackberries, and ripe cherries. Beneath the fruit sits a secondary wave of dried flowers, rose petal, leather, and menthol, finishing with spicy accents of tobacco and black pepper.

Taste: The palate entry is soft and immediately enveloping, with concentrated dark berry fruit giving way to a warm, round mid-palate. The tannins are persistent and well-integrated, providing structure without austerity. There is a balancing elegance that keeps the wine's 15% alcohol in check.

Finish: Long and persistent, with lingering notes of ripe cherry, spice, and a subtle leather-tinged warmth. The tannin grain remains fine through the fade, leaving a clean, dark-fruited impression.

How to Drink Collezione Privata Cabernet

This wine is at its best served neat in a large-bowled glass at 16–18°C (61–64°F); thirty to sixty minutes of decanting helps the aromatics fully unfold. Given its concentration and tannic architecture, the Collezione Privata is a wine built for the table rather than the cocktail bar. Pair it with bold, savory dishes that can stand up to its weight and intensity.

Best For

• Gifting to a serious Tuscan wine collector or Italian wine enthusiast
• Anchoring a vertical tasting of Isole e Olena's single-varietal wines
• Serving alongside a celebratory Italian steak dinner
• Cellaring for medium- to long-term aging potential

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Collezione Privata Cabernet taste like? It delivers concentrated dark berry fruit — blueberry, blackberry, ripe cherry — wrapped in warm spice, leather, and tobacco, with well-integrated tannins and a long, elegant finish. The overall profile is rich and enveloping yet balanced by fine-grained structure.

How does Collezione Privata Cabernet compare to Isole e Olena Cepparello? Cepparello is the estate's flagship 100% Sangiovese and tends to show brighter acidity with a more linear, tensile structure. The Collezione Privata Cabernet Sauvignon is richer and fuller-bodied but carries less acidity, making it the more immediately opulent of the two wines.

Is Collezione Privata Cabernet good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — its layered aromatics and polished tannins reward focused, attentive drinking. A generous decant allows the bouquet of dried flowers, rose petal, and menthol to emerge fully.

Where is Collezione Privata Cabernet made? It is produced at Isole e Olena in Barberino Val d'Elsa, within the Chianti Classico zone in the province of Florence, Tuscany, Italy. The vineyard sits at 300–400 meters elevation on marly schists and limestone soils.

What foods pair well with Collezione Privata Cabernet? Bistecca alla fiorentina is a natural match, as the wine's tannin and concentration complement charred, rare beef. Braised wild boar ragu over pappardelle plays well against the spice and dark fruit. Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano echoes the wine's savory depth. Herb-crusted lamb rack mirrors its menthol and pepper notes. Dark chocolate desserts with a high cacao percentage provide a satisfying finish.

What sizes does Collezione Privata Cabernet come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle.

Is Collezione Privata Cabernet worth the price? Positioned as a premium Tuscan Cabernet Sauvignon from a small-production, estate-grown vineyard, its 97-point Vinous score and meticulous production — hand-harvested old vines, a three-tier barrique program, and two years of bottle aging — place it firmly in elite company within its price tier.

Why Collezione Privata Cabernet?

The 97-point score from Antonio Galloni at Vinous positions the 2020 vintage among the finest expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon produced anywhere in Tuscany. What separates this wine from other Super Tuscan Cabernets is the specificity of its source: a single three-hectare parcel of 20-plus-year-old vines on limestone and marly schist at significant elevation, harvested entirely by hand. The graduated barrique aging program — splitting new, second-use, and third-use oak in equal thirds — ensures oak integration without overwhelming the fruit. Produced in deliberately limited quantities, the Collezione Privata is a Cabernet that belongs in the conversation alongside Tuscany's most respected single-varietal bottlings.