2018 Saffredi
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Tasting notes
I liked this vintage a little less than when I first tasted it four years ago. With more bottle age under its belt, the Fattoria le Pupille 2018 Saffredi doesn't have the extreme smoothness that we encounter in the 2019 nor does it have the classic shape (with structure and freshness) that we get in the 2016. There are ripe aromas at the core of this wine with brandied cherry or Amarena cherry, and you feel some of the toasted grain from the oak. The winery team put much attention on the cooperage used in the 2019 and 2020 vintages, focusing on Orion and Taransaud, with wood from the center of France, such as from the forest of Tronçais. They see these as slightly sweeter woods, Elisabetta Geppetti tells me, that match the power of the Cabernet Sauvignon.
Critic scores
Average Score
The Wine Advocate
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot from the southern Maremma. Look at that alcohol! Rich, almost ferrous nose. Opulently ripe fruit that's a bit overwhelming at first but finishes fresh. Definitely richer than the anniversary 2017 bottling and quite dangerous as it's so easy to drink. If the 2017 was more Tuscan than Bordeaux, this verges on Napa. Very glamorous! (JR)
The 2018 Saffredi is a regal, elegant, supremely polished wine. It may very well be the most refined Saffredi I have ever tasted. Silky in its first impression, with striking aromatic presence and exceptional balance, the 2018 is a total knock-out. Sweet red cherry, plum, mocha, licorice and cinnamon accents develop over time, but it is the wine’s overall balance and poise that are so impressive today. The 2018 is an absolutely gorgeous Saffredi. It spent 20 months in French oak barrels, about 65% new. Don’t miss it.
Fascinating red with currant, blackberry, mint and spice aromas and flavors. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and a flavorful finish. Shows polish and refinement. Lovely length.