2019 Sassicaia
Producer: Tenuta San Guido
Region: Bolgheri, Toscana
Country: Italy
Grapes: Proprietary blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc
Vintage: 2019
ABV: 14%
Vivino: 4.6
Drink By: 2048
Occasional Wine Note: We are huge fans of Cabernet. It's our favorite period. It is funny that our favorite versions of this classic French grape made in small French oak barrels seems to come from California or Italy moreso than France. Make no mistake, we're never going to turn down a 1st growth Left Bank Bordeaux - Latour, Margaux, Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, Haut-Brion - but there are plenty of wines from Italy and California that stand up quite well. On the Italian side, Sassicaia is at the top of that list. It is a perrenial powerhouse, consistently achieving 98, 99, 100 point ratings year and year out. This is truly one of the best wines in the world.
Decanter
Critic Score: 100
Sassicaia 2019 spent 25 months in oak (one-third new). ‘We are going longer in oak in the past few years,’ said Carlo Paoli, managing director of Tenuta San Guido. Quite pale in the glass, the nose is extremely graceful and intense with a lavender note enhanced by restrained bramble fruits, fermented citrus peel, an intense violet aroma and graphite minerality in depth. The attack is soft and full, the flavor savoury and cedary through to the finish, with integrated velvety tannins and lifted acidity. A perfectly woven structure is bound with signature freshness and fruit vibrancy, making this one for the long haul.
James Suckling
Critic Score: 99
The purity of cabernet sauvignon fruit is exceptional here, with character and sensibility that’s reminiscent of some of the great Sassicaias from the 1980s, such as 1982 or 1988. But this is much more precise and clean. Aromas and flavors of currants and berries with cedar and earth. Sage and minty character, too. It’s full-bodied yet there’s so much polish and balance, together with structure, elegance, and refinement. Hard not to drink at this stage, yet give it time and respect. This will be a classic Sass and reminds me why I love this wine. Best after 2026.