2009 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy

Sassicaia is one of Italy’s most important wines and the estate for which the Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC appellation was created, produced from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grown across Tenuta San Guido’s rocky hillside vineyards near the Tuscan coast. The vines are rooted in a complex mix of limestone-rich galestro, stones, gravel, and clay, while the 2009 was fermented in stainless steel and aged for roughly 20–25 months in oak. A warm, generous vintage, it combines richness with Sassicaia’s characteristic elegance, showing cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, violet, cedar, leather, balsamic herbs, and crushed mineral across a deep, polished palate with velvety tannins and exceptional length.

98 points -James Suckling
97+ points -Vinous