Di Costanzo

There’s a new kid on the block in Napa and he goes by the name of Massimo di Costanzo. In actual fact, Massimo isn’t new to Napa, he studied at UC Davis before hitting the road for a number of European harvests. He worked with the Antinoris, and then with Badenhorst in SA, before returning home to Napa. Upon his return he worked with Andy Erickson at Ovid, which eventually led to a position as day to day winemaker at Screaming Eagle , a position he held through the much lauded ’06 and ’07 vintages.

Dedicated to producing his own wine, he fell in love with an area called Coombsville, one of Napa’s most exciting new sub-appellations. Tucked into the Southeast corner of Napa it is something of a secret AVA. The sub soils are volcanic with alluvial rocks and gravel above, and while Coombsville is one of Napa’s coolest growing zones (by virtue of being the closest AVA to the San Pablo bay) the Farella vineyard is west facing and bathed in warm afternoon sun. This unusual combination produces exceptional results.

The first vintage of Di Costanzo was 2010, and since then the style has evolved, refined and settled as Massimo has worked out the perfect way to articulate the specifics of the great Farella vineyard. The cool Coombsville breezes allow for an extra-long hang time and the resulting naturally small berries are infused with concentration but also pungent minerality and wonderful development of perfumed Cabernet Sauvignon aromas with fine ripe tannins. The style is taut, restrained and structured but also wonderfully bright and aromatic – even young the 2013 is remarkably enjoyable. With age, this looks set to be a stunning bottle of wine. We are delighted to be bringing this rising star into the UK for the first time.

Massimo Di Costanzo 2022s

For Massimo’s wines, site is everything. Now farming two vineyards high up on Sonoma’s famed Moon Mountain, and one in Napa’s coolest AVA, Coombsville, the Di Costanzo stable has settled upon three highly individual terroirs, which Massimo crafts into classically styled Cabernet Sauvignons of great purity and precision.

Tasting the Montecillo 2022, Clive Pursehouse was effusive in his remarks stating, “this may be the purest, most complete Cabernet Sauvignon I’ve ever tasted”. He duly awarded it 98 points. Antonio Galloni is another fan who refers to Erin and Massimo as “elite producers of classically leaning, old-school inspired wines” and goes on to say “with a gorgeous mid-palate and a striking resonant finish, the Montecillo is terrific”, “Charlie Smith….is superb” and the Caldwell is “another terrific wine in this range”.

For our own part, we loved tasting the 2022s – a vintage that offers a measure of immediacy and up-front charm that you don’t always find in young Di Costanzo wines. Charlie Smith, from high on Moon Mountain, brims with red fruit and floral notes in a bright chiselled structure that fizzes with energy. Caldwell, a vineyard in Coombsville that used to make up half of the Dunn bottling, picked after the heat dome, is darker and ultra supple, with a soft skinned hedonistic vibe that is hugely compelling – it reminded us ever so slightly of a Mitjaville wine. The famed Montecillo, from slightly higher up Moon Mountain, has a more restrained intensity, touches of wild herb and dried flower over dark fruit and firm minerals. It is the most tannic of the three and will require longest to show its true colours. All three are fascinating visions of singular Californian Cabernet vineyards.