1998 Saffredi

55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Alicante. Higher percentage of Merlot in the blend. The winter of 1998 was damp but not particularly cold. Springtime was cool. Summer was sunny and rainless with regular weather during harvest. Harvest between 10 September and 10 October. 20,000 bottles produced. Riccardo Cotarella advises Fattoria Le Pupille. ​​​​​​​ Much leaner than the 1995. Mid garnet. Sweet and sour with lots of acidity and a bit of a hole in the middle. I can’t see how this is going to improve. Acid dominates fruit. (JR)

The 1998 impresses for its considerable richness. Like so many Italian wines of this period, the 1998 Saffredi shows a determined attempt to extract as much concentration as possible. There is no arguing the wine has aged exceptionally well, but in hindsight many of the subtler nuances Saffredi is capable of are buried under masses of fruit and excessive French oak.

55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Alicante The winter of 1998 was damp but not particularly cold, the springtime was cool. Summer was sunny and rainless with a regular climate during harvest. The harvest was carried out between 10 September and 10 October. 20,000 bottles produced Dark glowing crimson with notes of black. Funnily enough there is a slightly burnt note on the nose – perhaps because of oak rather than the weather? This is the first time any of these wines has made me think of oak in fact – a good sign. The tannins are a bit rough and raw. I wonder whether the increasing proportion of presumably young-vine Merlot can really support the amount or quality of oak used? Hot finish. Not elegant but the alcohol seems to make its mark. (JR)