Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido 2021

Here it is: A quintessential Sassicaia that represents the excellence of the vintage and also respects the unique taste profile of this distinguished Tuscan blend of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc. The Tenuta San Guido 2021 Bolgheri Sassicaia offers impeccable balance, excellent freshness and absolutely no signs of over-ripeness. The fruit balance is ideal with a hint of crunch and lasting tension from pulp and skins. The tannins are deftly managed with firm grip and enough velvetiness to add volume and length. There is no greenness on the bouquet that instead offers mulled herbs and spice, with cinnamon and clove, layered delicately between mostly red and some purple berry fruits. Redcurrant, blueberry, sweet pomegranate and Rainier cherry run strong in this vintage. A fragrant hint of heritage rose emerges with time. The oak tones are geared toward gingerbread, hazelnut, cigar, sandalwood and something like a grilled sweet red pepper. To the palate, it offers nice weight with no heavy glycerin, and a rinse of acidity that adds to the wine’s natural energy, brightness and viscosity. That marked freshness opens the wine up to long aging potential, but you still need to give it more time in bottle.

The 2021 Sassicaia is one of the best young wines I have ever tasted from the venerable San Guido estate in Tuscany. In fact, short of the 1985, that I first tasted in Rome the week after its release, it may well be the most impressive young Sassicaia I have memory of. And that’s saying something, as I can proudly say that, beginning in my university years spent in Rome back in the 1980s, I have tried every single vintage of Sassicaia ever made, including the rare and famous Vino Diverso della Sassicaia. So you can believe me when I tell you that the 2021 Sassicaia has greatness written all over it.

The 2021 is a great Sassicaia because it marries depth of perfume and richness of taste like very few other Sassicaias I can think of at a similar stage of development. Utterly classic yet also fleshier than usual, the 2021 Sassicaia boasts a pretty saturated ruby-red colour, a beguiling nose of blackcurrant, mint, violet, cedar and sweet spices, and luscious yet refined flavours of sweet raspberry, cassis, sandalwood, cinnamon and blackberry reduction. The finish is multilayered and complex and extremely long and nobly mouthcoating. Though so velvety and inviting it will be ready to drink early, the 2021 Sassicaia promises to have a long and graceful evolution in the bottle. Aged for about twenty-five months in 40% new, 40% second fill barrels and 20% third fill barrels (of which roughly 95% were French with the remaining 5% a mix of Hungarian and Slavonian oaks). It’s an utterly magical Italian wine. Drinking window: 2030-65.