Sassicaia!
Roma - Hilton Cavalieri
Tasted Monday, October 1, 2012 by quaglia with 1,575 views
Introduction
Particular event with 25 vintages of Sassicaia, from 1979 down to too-much-young 2009. 1987 and 2001 were eliminated because flawed. All from Magnum bottles, excepted the 1979 (at this time selling at about 1200 €)
Flight 1 (23 Notes)
Closing
25 vintages are maybe too much, in particular considering the last ones were babies. After 10 tasting is very difficult to recover your emotion and try a coherent rating.
For this reason I did not rate the wines, but just gave a 1 to 5 stars evaluation. Hope you will forgive this.
We can roughly divide the vintages in 4 different "classes".
1) before 1994 mainly underbrush nits, sometimes balsamic, with outstanding 1988 and 1985
2) 1994 - 1997: mainly fruity, but without excellency (except 1995).
3) 1997 - 2003: a very nice strip, with some of the best vintages and few exceptions.
4) 2004 - 2009: maybe a bit too young to express its full potential.
1979 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Vino da Tavola
Climate: The year has not been climatically favorable.
Orange turbid aspect.
At nose brine above all, then tar, tobacco and spices.
Salinity at taste too, and some fruit (Tamarind). Decaying. **
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1985 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Vino da Tavola
As for the year 1981 the weather was ideal for the production of a great wine. One of the best vintages.
Still vivid ruby red. At nose showing jammed red fruits, and red oranges. Meditterrean: laurel and rosemary.
Still well balanced at taste, with elegant, velvety tannins and a long mineral finish. ****
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1988 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Vino da Tavola
The weather of 1988 had a similarity with the evolution of almost-perfect 1985. With this vintage, the use of barriques starting to decrease (both leght of stay and I passage).
Crystalline ruby red.
Very, very complex and fine at nose: coffee, violet, incense, salinity and iron minerals. Mediterrean trees.
In mouth, maybe less fruit, but still a lot of texture, minerality and tannins. For me one of the best; going down when opened. ****
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1989 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Vino da Tavola
The year 1989 did not the same excellent climate conditions, as happened in 1988.
Less fine at nose than the 1988. Red fruit (blackcurrant), but also humus, mushrooms.
Coherent at taste, lacking some texture. ***-
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1990 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Vino da Tavola
Very interesting weather pattern for the quality of the wine.
Intense at nose, iodine, mediterrean underwood. Spicy: cardamomo and tobacco.
At taste showing a good persistence and fruit; the tannins are well amalgamated.****
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
1991 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Vino da Tavola
The climate in 1991 was good but not excellent, expecially considering the temperatures.
Less fine and intense than the previus. Earthy, underbrush and sage.
Nice at taste, but a bit short...something lacking here...**1/2
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1992 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Vino da Tavola
Not favorable climate or even poor for all Tuscany, but passable in Bolgheri thanks to its particular settings.
Less complex at nose: always underbrush, wet grass, and some crysanthemum hint.
Coherent taste. ***
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1993 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Vino da Tavola
No info about vintage climate.
Nice ruby colour. Similar to 1992 at nose, less complex than the champions. Underbrush, and some balsamic: eucalyptus.
Long, persistent in mouth, but a bit monotonous on liquorice notes. ***
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1994 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
Another year when the Bolgheri setting has played very well his role as moderator of the climate in terms of heat and humidity, compared to the rest of Tuscany.
Fruity at first (maybe the first one so clear). Mushrooms, balsamic hints.
Nice entry, with good acidity, but a bit flat...not very generous a kind of "I would like..but cannot". **1/2
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1995 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
The ripening of the grapes in 1995 was good.
Nice ruby red.
Complex at nose: crispy mature red fruits, leather and balsamic hints.
Velvety glicerin in mouth, with an integrated tannins, still a bit astringent. Not my favourite, was the best for the class. ****
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1996 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
The weather in Italy in 1996 was not very happy, but sassicaia is exception again.
A medium vintage: spicy and some vegetal at nose.
In mouth, more tannins than fruit. Astringent ***-
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1997 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
Harvest was excellent in every way.
Crystalline ruby red. Richer than the previous. Mediterrean underbrush, mirto, fruity and some liquorice.
Wide at taste, with nice tannins and goos minerality. ***1/2
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1998 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
The seasonal pattern was particularly good .
Very complex and fine at nose: less mediterrean, more humus and mushrooms. Liquorice!!
More fruity and more volume at taste. One of the best!! ****+
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
1999 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
The climate of 1999 was particularly good, sunny and a little rainy.
Carob, tobacco, dark/shadow reminds.
Tannic and alcoholic at taste, less texture and fruit. ***
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2000 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
No info about climate.
Coffee, iron - no fruits Not wide or complex, but very sharp.
Nice in mouth at the beginning, but decaying fast. Coffee and tannins the main sensations **1/2
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2002 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
Weather conditions for the 2002 vintage varied greatly;was generally satisfactory.
Ruby red.
Red oranges and fruits, then earthy (wet), liquorice, some hints of leather.
Well balanced and coherent in mouth. Good acidity. This vintage was undevalued when coming out, now is one the best. ****+
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2003 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
The climate was extremely hot and dry until harvest.
Alchol at nose. Game (first time we find this). Grafite.
High alcohol at taste, and tannins a bit too green. "Coarse" at taste, low minerality. **1/2
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2004 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
After a very wet vintage in 2002 and an extremely hot vintage in 2003 the climate in 2004 was almost perfect.
Starting with 2004, the wine is a bit too young to drink, without tertiary elements.
In particular this one is very closed, need more rest in bottle. ---
85% Cabernet Sauvignon
15% Cabernet Franc
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2005 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
Normal climate conditions.
Floreal at nose (NO Carob, tobacco..). Ripe red fruits.
Fruity at taste, with an almondy finish. ***
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
Hot and dry summer, also if not like 2003.
Full crystalline dark ruby red.
Blueberry and Blackcurrant (!!) at nose.
Also if evidently young, tannins and acidity have all the premises to become a superior wine. Better than 04/05. ****
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2007 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
The climate season was regular.
Strange vintage, different from the others.
Iron powder and wet soil at the beginning, iodine.
Coherent at taste, with a lond mineral finish. ***
Read 2 Comments / Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
Given the propitious climatic conditions, the harvest was carried out as usual and without any particular adjustments.
Coffee, agrumes and some mediterrean hints (lavanda), but lacking width.
Mainly alcohol, with some fruit at taste. ***
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2009 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
Also if very young, there is no wood imprint.
Juniper, myrtle, much sharper than 2008.
FRUIT! at taste and very nice and fine tannins, also if young. ****
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue