Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido, Bolgheri 2007

The 2007 Sassicaia (Cabernet Sauvignon) explodes onto the palate with masses of rich, opulent fruit that caress the palate with gorgeous length and a seamless beauty that is hard to fully capture. Dark wild cherries, plums, spices, minerals and herbs develop in the glass. This is an especially bold, perhaps slightly uncharacteristic Sassicaia in its extroverted personality, but it is beautiful all the same. The inner perfume and sweetness carries through the long finish, where the sheer weight and glycerol of the fruit leaves a lasting impression. The 2007 is more than a worthy follow-up to the profound 2006. While it may lack that wine's freshness, structure and potential longevity, the 2007 is immensely appealing today, and should drink beautifully pretty much out of the gate. That said, Sassicaia is always the most restrained of Bolgheri's heavy hitters. This is a superb effort from Tenuta San Guido.

Here's a wine of power, determination and confidence—as far as first impressions go. The 2007 Bolgheri Sassicaia leaves little hidden behind the curtain. It presents a frank and straightforward array of bold fruit, spice, leather and tobacco-like aromas that emerge from the bouquet with energy and force. The aromas are complete and genuine. The palate, however, offers more space for interpretation and review. It is finessed and nuanced, thus requiring more time to fully comprehend and appreciate. Silky tannins are followed by fine textural smoothness and a long finish. The outgoing nature of the aromas make for a fascinating contrast against the inward and reticent nature of the mouthfeel.

This is classy on the nose with subtle currant, sweet tobacco, cigar box and dried flowers. Cassis too. Full body, with refined tannins and a solid core of fruit. Polished and very pretty. Long and delicious already. But you have to wait on this. It has so much more to give. Try after 2015.

(a blend of 85% cabernet sauvignon and 15% cabernet franc): Bright red with a pale rim. Still reticent nose hints at redcurrant, pomegranate, graphite and cedar. Softer and more approachable than usual for young Sassicaia, with fleshy, easygoing flavors of redcurrant, cassis, balsamic smoke and vanilla. A seamlessly ripe, broad and long wine, finishing with smooth, very peppery, balsamic tannins and a trace of alcoholic warmth. The acid spine is hidden by the glossy, ripe fruit, but there?s plenty of it here; in this respect, the 2007 Sassicaia is not unlike other vintages with similar growing seasons, and reminds me of the 1997 at the same stage of development. I still feel that this vintage of Sassicaia will be remembered for offering early accessibility and perhaps possessing a little less concentration and depth than some recent great releases such as 2001 and 2006. However, do not make the mistake of attributing this to a hot year: unlike in more sun-drenched parts of Tuscany, 2007 was not an excessively hot vintage here. I also noted less bottle variation when I tasted this wine three times in November than I did in my tastings between April and August of 2010.