2004 Sassicaia
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Tasting notes
Double magnum and the star of this Sassicaia dinner at Oswald’s in London. Served with pheasant ravioli and salsify. Aromatic, polished tannins. Lovely now. A classic, gorgeous vintage with beautiful fruit and a little saline note on the end. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
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This was an epic vintage in Tuscany, but our samples did not live up to that promise. The 2004 Bolgheri Sassicaia opened to ripe and slightly oxidized aromas of candied fruit, prune, apricot, dried tobacco leaf and bitter chocolate. When I last tasted this wine, I noted its "retro" stylistic philosophy with a strong emphasis on richness and opulence. I wonder if that loud approach has contributed to the wine's diminished intensity today? Or perhaps our samples were not perfect? The bottom line is that this proved a well-integrated wine, but a bit flat and downtrodden as well.
Magnum. Dark ruby with some evolution. Liquorice and cool. Dense and youthful. Quite dramatic for a Sassicaia. A bit jagged at the moment. Solid and dry on the end. Powerful for a Sassicaia! Very dry for the moment. (JR)
About the producer
Tentuta San Guido produces Sassicaia – Italy’s most famous wine. An icon from the Bolgheri coastline of Tuscany, made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, its rise to prominence in the late 1970s sparked the Super Tuscan revolution.