Sassacaia Vertical

Anything but Port, this includes all wines other than fortified wines (which have their own section) even if they call themselves Port. There is a search facility for this part of the forum.
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Anything but Port, this includes all non-Port fortified wines even if they call themselves Port. There is a search facility for this part of the forum.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14879
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Sassacaia Vertical

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Yesterday I was in the right place at the right time to take part in a vertical of Sassacaia. I've long had a soft spot for the Super-Tuscans but got a bit disillusioned a few months back when I went to an Ornellaia dinner and found the wines to be consistently tough, hard and unyielding. Absolutely not the style I had fallen in love with when (rarely) drinking Tignanello, Sassacaia and Solaia.

So I was delighted to have the chance to taste my way through 10 vintages of Sassacaia going back to 1999. 7 of the wines were from magnum with only 2015, 2017 and 2019 being in bottle. The other vintages in the line-up were 2013, 2011, 2008, 2006, 2005 and 2002.

2002 was a wet year and yet Sassacaia made an unbelievably elegant and refined wine. My favourite out of the vintages shown was 2008 which manages to combine power with the finesse that is the hallmark of Sassacaia.

Suffice it to say, I am back in love with super-Tuscans, just not with Ornellaia!

If anyone wants me to post my notes, let me know.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
winesecretary
Fonseca 1980
Posts: 1900
Joined: 15:35 Mon 13 May 2019

Re: Sassacaia Vertical

Post by winesecretary »

Yes please
akzy
Warre’s Otima 10 year old Tawny
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Re: Sassacaia Vertical

Post by akzy »

Alex Bridgeman wrote: 21:59 Sun 06 Nov 2022 If anyone wants me to post my notes, let me know.
Seconded - yes please!
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nac
Fonseca 1980
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Re: Sassacaia Vertical

Post by nac »

akzy wrote: 11:41 Mon 07 Nov 2022
Alex Bridgeman wrote: 21:59 Sun 06 Nov 2022 If anyone wants me to post my notes, let me know.
Seconded - yes please!
Thirded.
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Alex Bridgeman
Graham’s 1948
Posts: 14879
Joined: 13:41 Mon 25 Jun 2007
Location: Berkshire, UK

Re: Sassacaia Vertical

Post by Alex Bridgeman »

Sassicaia 1999 from magnum. Considered at the time to be difficult year. Deep red, cedar and bramble on the nose. The cedar shows on the edges of the palate, firm grip but with lovely bramble fruit and a good core of acidity. Fine grip on the aftertaste, juicy bramble and blackthorn fruit on a long finish. Such a lovely, fresh and juicy palate. 92/100.

Sassicaia 2002 2002 was a wet year, but the Bolgheri soils are free draining. Mature brick red in colour. Warm cedar and bramble nose, dense nose. Blackberry and liquorice on the palate, less cedar than 1999. Good density on the palate; cool vintage giving a fabulous elegant palate. The tannins are well hidden by the generous fruit. Fresh, ripe and nicely balanced. A lovely mouthful of wine, perhaps a little shorter on the finish. 93/100.

Sassicaia 2005 A hot and dry year, similar to 1999 (and 2017). This wine has a fantastic dense bramble fruit nose, sweet and inviting. The tannins are very firm on the palate, a little hard and unyielding, rather overwhelming the sweet and perfumed bramble fruit. Fabulous aftertaste, big fruit, gentle tannins, lots of cedar. Perhaps a little closed on the palate, but a stunning wine. 95/100.

Sassicaia 2006 2006 was a cool year, from magnum (as was the 2005). Bramble and sour cherry on the nose. Fresh palate, slight smoky tone on the fruit; tannins on the mid-palate with medium density fruit. Big and showing quite young. Fantastic chewy aftertaste, sour cherry and cedar finish. Great length. 92/100.

Sassicaia 2008 2008 was a near perfect viticultural year; hot (but not too hot) and with occasional rain. Daily temperature day/night changes were significant, allowing the wine to have great freshness. Very dense colour. Quite closed on the nose, a little cedar. such precision on the palate, balanced and fresh entry with big tannins wrapped in the fruit. A great mouthful of fruit. Generous fruit aftertaste, multiple flavours on the finish, and such length! Absolutely superb!  98/100.

Sassicaia 2011 2011 was a cold and wet winter, warm summer and cool nights during the long and late harvest. The combination was challenging. Fruits of the forest nose, very fresh and lovely. Wonderful ripeness and focus of fruit on the palate. Gentle tannins, fruit with a lovely fragrance, and then you realise the gentle tannins have dried out your cheeks! The fruit is a little less dense on the palate than 2008. A little more elegant, less power. Sour cherry stones on the finish, bramble and sour cherry. Elegant, balanced. 91/100.

Sassicaia 2013 2012-13 was a wet winter which restored the water levels for the 2013 season, which had favourable weather conditions. Lighter in colour and much more youthful than the 2011. Gentle floral fruit on the nose, absolutely gorgeous. Smooth entry, slides like satin across the palate; such finesse and balance. The fruit develops slowly, exactly matching the pace at which the tannins show. Fresh and wonderfully balanced. Elegant and beautiful with perfect harmony. Really exquisite. 97/100.

Sassicaia 2015 2015 was a hot year in July and August but some rain late in the growing season and more normal temperatures returned during harvest. Still opaque with a purple tint and a medium rim. The nose is still very primary and floral. Elegant and smooth on the palate, fresh bramble and blackthorn fruit, fabulous tannins supporting the palate. The fruit is just fabulous! The finish is minutes long, dominated by alpine strawberry and fragrant bramble. Will be better is cellared for another 10 years. 95/100.

Sassicaia 2017 2017 was a hot dry year. Very dark, medium rim. Wonderful floral nose, bramble fruit and Mediterranean garrigue. Elegant entry, wonderful finesse and then a smack in the mouth from the tannins. Despite the size and firmness of the grip, the wine keeps its elegance and balance. Masses of fruit on the palate, rich and rewarding fruit driven finish. This will be a fantastic wine - powerful, but balanced, making it drinkable today or in 25 years. Stunning length. 96/100.

Sassicaia 2019 Lighter appearance with than the 2017 with a transparent centre. Perfumed nose, black damson and rose perfume. Wonderful nose. Balanced entry, fragrant fruit on entry, fresh and focused. The tannins are more gentle than 2017 and are remarkably fine-grained. Fragrant and harmonious. Wonderful fragrant aftertaste, great length which even teases a little with the pre-cursor of the cedar which comes from mature Cabernet Sauvignon. Lovely, fresh. 93/100.
Top Ports in 2023: Taylor 1896 Colheita, b. 2021. A perfect Port.

2024: Niepoort 1900 Colheita, b.1971. A near perfect Port.
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