Sassicaia 西施佳雅 2000 (OWC 6)

Description

By Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar in 2011 (ST95)

Deep, bright red-ruby. Aromas of ripe red cherry, dark plum and kirsch are complicated by sexy woodsmoke, eucalyptus and bay leaf. Silky and rather lush, with considerable sweetness and creaminess to its ripe, sweet flavours of cassis, blackberry jelly and ripe black plum. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and lingering notes of minerals, herbs, dried flowers and smoke. Displays lovely balance and good length on the rich, seamless, creamy-ripe finish, which exhibits a lingering menthol note that reminded me of a Napa cabernet. The 2000 vintage was a warm one, especially in August, with some varieties such as merlot reaching high sugar levels before full polyphenolic maturity was achieved. However, the combination of a cooler microclimate and old cabernet vines allowed Tenuta San Guido to make a better wine than many on the Tuscan Coast this year.

By Decanter in 2016 (JA94)

Incredible as you look at these colours heading back to the 1990s; they are barely budging at all. Here I get quite a different quality the smoke, more like wet woodsmoke from a fire that has been doused, or the smoky aspect to Japanese green tea. A clearly powerful wine, one that has real depth and impact, with flavours that keep slowly building one on top of the other. More burly than some, this feels burnished under the Tuscan sun.

By Wine Advocate in 2009 (WA93)

This millennial Sassicaia displays very good intensity on the nose, which is actually quite Southern Rhone in style, almost animally with a touch of liquorices and gravel. The palate is medium-bodied with good fruit concentration, cassis and blueberry, fine tannins and a real, succulent finish that disguises the structure underneath. Still youthful, this has more breeding and style than more recent releases.

By Vinous in 2003 (EB93)

Intense dark ruby. Dark berry fruit and exotic spice scents fill the high-toned, penetrating nose. Offers a deep core of beautifully delineated blackberry and blackcurrant flavors layered with bell pepper, dark chocolate and minerals. Smooth tannins frame the very long finish, leaving one with the impression of persistence and balance.