Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2018

All about radiance and finesse, this iconic Tuscan red has beguiling aromas of cedar, wild red berry, menthol and pipe tobacco that mingle with fragrant blue flowers. Made with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, the focused, elegantly structured palate is vibrant and savory, delivering cassis, orange zest, licorice and a hint of coffee framed in taut, polished tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized and balanced. Drink through 2033. 

The 2018 vintage was fresher than usual in Bolgheri, mainly due to a rainy spring which was challenging, but also following a cooler end to August. The higher vineyards on which Sassicaia could rely produced grapes with an outstanding quality of phenolics, benefitting from a useful fruit-set and mild September. The severe selection of the grapes - with a level of production similar to that of the dry 2017 - did the rest. Restrained red and black currant aromas are allied to aromatic herbs such as eucalyptus leaf and rosemary, completed by coffee bean, earthy tones and cedar. This is a wine focussed on fresh fruit, with a savoury citrus finish proving its depth. The tight-knit structure is firm with chalky yet ripe tannins and extremely fresh, natural and long acidity. More elegant than powerful, this 2018 is perfectly integrated with the Sassicaia style, full of tension. Not immediately ready to drink but promising stunning finesse.

Beautiful, serene aromas of sweet berries and wild flowers with light lavender and fresh sage. Really aromatic. A firm, silky red with medium to full body and ultra fine tannins that are polished and beautiful. Lots of blue fruit and blackberries follow through to a beautiful finish. Really tight and polished. Bright acidity. Will be lovely to drink in a few years. The 2017 and 2016 were about power, but the 2018 is about finesse and subtlety. Try after 2024.

This is a classic vintage of an Italian icon now celebrating its 50th vintage. The Tenuta San Guido 2018 Bolgheri Sassicaia lays out a familiar blueprint that borrows from the proven track record of this landmark estate that extends into the hills just beyond the Tyrrhenian shores of Tuscany. This vintage is crystalline and pure in its delivery, and if you are familiar with previous editions, it is impossible to mistake this wine for anything but Sassicaia. The growing season started off cool and wet but turned to warm and dry conditions comfortably before the harvest. Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc in a supporting role deliver a graceful mid-weight texture that holds back style-wise in terms of phenolic density. The wine's careful balance is achieved thanks to the nuanced character of the fruit, the present acidity, the well-managed structure and the contained alcohol. The palate is lifted and bright, the finish is polished and long, and the wine skips over any heaviness on the mid-palate. The bouquet is especially intriguing with a very lively plummy fruit element that is enhanced by baker's chocolate, pepper spice, iron ore, caramel and pie crust. There is also a green character that adds positively to the bouquet with aniseed, tea leaf, soya, menthol rub and black olive. The fruit maturity is spot-on with no elements that feel over or underripe. Overall, the 2018 Sassicaia weighs in with a svelte frame and long persistence. Moreover, it is distinguished by the archetypal elegance and pedigree of the classic vintages of the past. This new release gives you much pleasure to await.

Shiny, rich ruby-violet. Crisp, clear fruit on the nose, precise, lots of cassis, blackberry and some leather. A lot of juicy fruit on the palate, amazing freshness, dark currant, great tension, grippy tannin with fine mint on the finish. One for the long term with certain ageing potential for many years.