Sassicaia 西施佳雅 1998 (OWC 6)

Description

By James Suckling in 2016 (JS98)
I just drank this in Zurich today and it is clearly the best Sassicaia since 1988, and it gets better and better in the bottle. It really does remind me of the awesome 1988, which can be better than the legendary 1985. The 1998 shows so many layers of dark fruit, cedar and terra cotta on the nose. It’s intense and powerful; stony with sweet tobacco and berry undertones plus currants and sultanas. It’s full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and great depth. It’s not completely open yet. Decant two hours in advance before serving.

By Wine Spectator (WS95)
Lovely, subtle yet complex aromas of currants, sage and green olives lead to a full-bodied red with a solid core of fruit and well-integrated tannins. Still very reserved on the finish, but those who are patient should be rewarded.

By Decanter in 2016 (JA94)
Seductive and greedy, the welcoming nose shows we are in full stride at this point. These wines are sharing their secrets, highlighting the floral aspects and the character of Sassicaia in a decade that had more challenging vintages than the 2000s. Aromatics still lively and even with tertiary notes we are in no way sacrificing power at nearly 20 years old. Tertiary notes of black truffles and black olives appear, yet they are so deft, so beautiful, we sink into their embrace. I love this. It hovers on the edge of exoticism and excess, and yet every time it pulls back.