Region: Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy
Varietal: 87% Cabernet Sauvignon & 13% Cabernet Franc
Tasting Notes: Expressive on the nose, with fresh, minty lavender hints, blackberries, figs, pomegranate, dark chocolate, cloves, and pepper, before opening onto a palate that’s spicy and lively with lots of pepper and acid, on top of more sweet dark fruit and dark chocolate. Warm citrus and mocha on the finish. Its acidity shines bright and guarantees long cellar aging potential.Â
Very few vintages of this legendary Tuscan wine deliver the immediate joy, richness and complexity found in this vintage. A wine that feels uncannily open and generous in its youth, a rare trait for Sassicaia, which is famously inscrutable at this stage. This vintage was marked by a cold winter and above-average rainfall followed by a severe outbreak of downy mildew that damaged leaves, forcing brutal fruit selection and resulting in a 20% reduction in yields. Only the estates willing to make these sacrifices succeeded, and the best wines rank among the most compelling and elusive of recent years.
100 points.