Tenuta San Guido

Le Difese is one of the most beautiful price-quality wonders of Tuscany. Magnificent, sweetly perfumed fruit aromas in the opulent bouquet, just as generous and wide the long-lasting taste. SUPERIORE.DE

"Surprisingly pale - more Pinot-like than a Cabernet blend! A sweet-sour red-cherry fruit profile, with a notable herbal edge, perhaps reflecting the higher Sangiovese proportion than 2018. On swirling, some cassis joins the party and there's a background woody, cinnamon note. That sweet-sour sense comes through on the palate too, with a ripeness of red cherry and strawberry cut through with acidity. Pretty fine-grained, powdery tannins that are more refined than previous Le Difese vintages I have tasted. A touch of alcohol on the finish, but overall an enjoyable, perfumed red." Jancis Robinson

"Made with 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Sangiovese, this has enticing aromas of cassis, black tea, violet and wild herbs. Savory and elegantly structured, the medium-bodied palate shows ripe blackberry, star anise and a hint of coffee bean framed in lithe, polished tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced." Wine Enthusiast

Since Guidalberto has been vinified from its own grapes, most of which also grow in the Sassicaia DOC monopoly position, San Guido's "second wine" has almost surpassed itself. Spicy, earthy bouquet with hints of tobacco, clove and lavender, dense and juicy on the palate with fresh red and black berry fruit. The tannins are well-dosed and the finish is complex with a majestic elegance that will become even more refined with years of bottle ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

"Noble garnet. Spicy, bacony nose, slightly reductive, then of dried tomatoes, light leather and rich cherries. Elegant and polished on the palate with compact fruit and salty undertones, clear course, harmonious and with plenty of finesse." Falstaff

"There is so much Tuscan tang to this wine that I wouldn't be remotely surprised if someone told me it contained a little of Tuscany's signature grape Sangiovese. This is appetising rather than luscious. Nicely balanced and much more accessible now than the current 2017 vintage of Sassicaia. No more than medium bodied. Clean and neat." Jancis Robinson

"Made with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, this smooth red opens with aromas of cassis, vanilla, violet and a whiff of bell pepper. Racy and delicious, the linear palate doles out juicy red currant, black cherry and vanilla set against lithe tannins. Bright acidity keeps it balanced and fresh." Wine Enthusiast

"The 2018 Guidalberto, tasted from an approximate blend from barrel, is positively stellar. I can only hope that the bottled wine is as fresh, vibrant and nuanced as this sample. A rush of black cherry, plum, spice, leather and licorice graces the 2018 with striking depth and nuance. Light on its feet and deep, the 2018 has a lot to offer. In many years, Guidalberto can be a rather rich wine, but in 2018 it is very closely aligned with the house style." Vinous

"A deft and bright blend to serve with a platter of creamy Camembert wedges, the 2018 Guidalberto showing a smooth and silky delivery of aromas with black fruit and sour cherry backed by spice, pressed flower and tilled earth. These are fragrant and delicate results fitted to a medium-weight finish that is driven by freshness and elegant tannins." Robert Parker

"San Guido's 2018 Guidalberto is soft, open-knit and inviting. Sweet dark cherry, cinnamon, licorice and new leather fill out the layers in an undeniably attractive Guidalberto that will drink beautifully upon release. Finesse and elegance are the signatures. The 2018 is a terrific choice for drinking now, while some of the more powerful vintages of Guidalberto come together, or while waiting for its sibling, Sassicaia." Vinous

Since Guidalberto has been vinified from its own grapes, most of which also grow in the Sassicaia DOC monopoly position, San Guido's "second wine" has almost surpassed itself. Spicy, earthy bouquet with hints of tobacco, clove and lavender, dense and juicy on the palate with fresh red and black berry fruit. The tannins are well-dosed and the finish is complex with a majestic elegance that will become even more refined with years of bottle ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

"Mid ruby with a touch of sediment - a sample blend, rather than a finished wine, as with the last two release presentations. Quite reticent on the nose, just giving hints of what it's got - a flash of creamy vanilla, a scent of ripe, plummy, black fruit and some toasted tobacco. Full bodied, with mouth-coating but fine-grained tannins. Plump and velvety - Merlot making its presence felt here. Pretty good length too. This is embryonic and a little closed, but I think has plenty to give - an attractive Guidalberto that will reward cellaring." Jancis Robinson

"This enticing red offers alluring aromas of fragrant purple flowers, dark-skinned berries and crushed mint. The elegantly structured palate doles out succulent blackberry, orange zest, licorice and saline notes set against taut, refined tannins. It's nicely balanced by fresh acidity." Wine Enthusiast

Le Difese is one of the most beautiful price-quality wonders of Tuscany. Magnificent, sweetly perfumed fruit aromas in the opulent bouquet, just as generous and wide the long-lasting taste. SUPERIORE.DE

"Surprisingly pale - more Pinot-like than a Cabernet blend! A sweet-sour red-cherry fruit profile, with a notable herbal edge, perhaps reflecting the higher Sangiovese proportion than 2018. On swirling, some cassis joins the party and there's a background woody, cinnamon note. That sweet-sour sense comes through on the palate too, with a ripeness of red cherry and strawberry cut through with acidity. Pretty fine-grained, powdery tannins that are more refined than previous Le Difese vintages I have tasted. A touch of alcohol on the finish, but overall an enjoyable, perfumed red." Jancis Robinson

"Made with 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Sangiovese, this has enticing aromas of cassis, black tea, violet and wild herbs. Savory and elegantly structured, the medium-bodied palate shows ripe blackberry, star anise and a hint of coffee bean framed in lithe, polished tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced." Wine Enthusiast

Since Guidalberto has been vinified from its own grapes, most of which also grow in the Sassicaia DOC monopoly position, San Guido's "second wine" has almost surpassed itself. Spicy, earthy bouquet with hints of tobacco, clove and lavender, dense and juicy on the palate with fresh red and black berry fruit. The tannins are well-dosed and the finish is complex with a majestic elegance that will become even more refined with years of bottle ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

"Mid ruby with a touch of sediment - a sample blend, rather than a finished wine, as with the last two release presentations. Quite reticent on the nose, just giving hints of what it's got - a flash of creamy vanilla, a scent of ripe, plummy, black fruit and some toasted tobacco. Full bodied, with mouth-coating but fine-grained tannins. Plump and velvety - Merlot making its presence felt here. Pretty good length too. This is embryonic and a little closed, but I think has plenty to give - an attractive Guidalberto that will reward cellaring." Jancis Robinson

"This enticing red offers alluring aromas of fragrant purple flowers, dark-skinned berries and crushed mint. The elegantly structured palate doles out succulent blackberry, orange zest, licorice and saline notes set against taut, refined tannins. It's nicely balanced by fresh acidity." Wine Enthusiast

Enormously complex on the nose: we discover cassis, elderberries, heart-cherries and floral and mineral-earthy notes. In the mouth it is firm, precise and yet extremely elegant and balsamic, with a lot of juiciness and a very fine tannin, which is already irresistible in its young years. We have seldom enjoyed a wine that is so dense and full and at the same time seduces with a balance that makes it unique. Further bottle maturity is inevitably rewarded, although a further increase seems hardly imaginable. SUPERIORE.DE

"With this wine, more than 50 years ago, the success story of international grape varieties began in Bolgheri: the Incisa della Rocchetta family recognised the potential of the Bordeaux grape varieties and created this monolith of Italian wine culture. To this day, it is produced almost unchanged and mainly from Cabernet Franc: an appealing nose of fresh stone fruit, juniper and tobacco; the attack is polished, the tannins fine-grained and fresh, invigorating acidity, an extremely complex final on notes of red fruit and spices. Always one of the most elegant interpretations of the terroir." Vinum

"The 2017 Sassicaia is a fascinating wine that symbolizes a never-ending tug-of-war between vintner and vintage. The question is who comes out on top? In this case, my money is on the vintner. The 2017 vintage, characterized by scorching heat and drought across much of Italy, was not an easy one. This Sassicaia represents 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Cabernet Franc, with most of the fruit coming from the Tenuta's historic vineyards Castiglioncello, Quercione and Doccino. These plots are all located on the back hill of Bolgheri at slightly higher elevations where they enjoy cooler nighttime temperatures. Old vines also have a deeper root system that is key to braving dry and hot summers. You can absolutely taste those choices here thanks to the wine's aromatic profile that offers more variety-driven green highlights of wild berry, forest floor and bramble than I would have expected. With time, as the wine takes on more air in the glass, you get a hint of summer plum or cherry cough drop, and this, to my surprise, is the only subtle reminder of the hot vintage encountered. I found the aromas here to be authentically "Tuscan" in character, more so than other vintages, with balsamic and Mediterranean elements that borrow directly from the Sangiovese playbook. The decision to use more neutral oak favors the reduction of oxygen and softens the tannic profile. Although the wine does end with a hint of bitterness, it took on noticeably more volume and soft richness the longer I kept my sample in the glass." Robert Parker

"A taut, densely wrought red, with black currant, black cherry, iron, wild herb and spice flavors matched to the elegant frame and restrained character. Balanced and long, this has a distinctly Old World feel and looks set to unravel its complex facets slowly." Wine Spectator

"The 2017 Sassicaia is dark, sensual and rich, which is a good thing, as the tannins - the result of a warm, dry year in which phenolic ripening was difficult to fully reach - are also quite powerful. I tasted the 2017 from an approximate blend from barrel, where the wines are still aging in separate lots. It will be interesting to see where things end up once the wine is in bottle." Vinous

"The balance and beauty to this is impressive, offering sweet, ripe currants and flowers with some crushed-stone and dry-earth undertones. Full-bodied with soft, polished tannins and a long, creamy-textured finish. It’s polished, yet concentrated. Better after 2022, but already very seductive." James Suckling

"Aromas of exotic spice, baked plum and French oak mingle with camphor and blue flower on the nose. This boasts extraordinary elegance and freshness despite the hot vintage, delivering flavors of juicy Marasca cherry, spiced blueberry, tobacco and licorice. Velvety, fine-grained tannins provide support while coffee and crushed mint linger on the finish." Wine Enthusiast

In its 50th vintage, Sassicaia could hardly be more typical or distinctive. After a rather mixed spring, the weather then became so warm and dry that the Cabernet grapes were finally able to ripen optimally and make this flagship Bolgheri unmistakable in a remarkably pure and personality-strong appearance. Thus, the 2018 edition became a model of balance and finesse, gliding down the palate almost weightlessly and in a precisely proportioned frame.

Fascinating bouquet of cherries, flowers, some chocolate, wild herbs and plums. The overall package of this wine is equal to its jubilee, Sassicaia 2018, besides its undisputed class for decades, once again impressively represents its origin and rightly confirms that a separate DOC was even created for this wine icon. SUPERIORE.DE

"Mid ruby. Initially quite scented, then strangely closed a little in the glass. Subtle tones of cedar, vanilla and dried tobacco, with precision of fresh blackcurrant and a hint of black cherry. There's an underlying graphite and stone/mineral complexity too. Juicy palate - certainly good acidity here - and a comparatively moderate tannic load, both of which work in harmony to structure the wine. The tannins are fine grained, without the somewhat pinched texture I saw in the 2017 vintage, though will nevertheless benefit from a little cellaring to resolve to a silky finesse. At about three-quarter distance there's just a hint of wateriness, but then the delicate flavour does persist to a very good-length finish. This is certainly Sassicaia in the elegant and subtle mould v 2017's more powerful iteration. It would be interesting to evaluate these two side by side in a few years." Jancis Robinson

"Refined and complex, this red is all about finesse and restraint, starting out with floral and black currant flavors that build steadily on the palate, with olive, cedar, tobacco and spice notes adding detail as this lingers on the terrific finish. Needs five to seven years to fully emerge." Wine Spectator

"Star bright raspberry in colour, this has an elegance and a sense of lift right from the start - a beautifully balanced, finessed and classical Sassicaia. The freshly cut and dried herbs of great Italian wines reveals themselves through the slow build up across the palate, along with gentle tobacco and liquorice notes. This is juicy and elegant, showing passion fruit and raspberry with an undertow of complexity. One to savour." Decanter

"Beautiful, serene aromas of sweet berries and wild flowers with light lavender and fresh sage. Really aromatic. A firm, silky red with medium to full body and ultra fine tannins that are polished and beautiful. Lots of blue fruit and blackberries follow through to a beautiful finish. Really tight and polished. Bright acidity. Will be lovely to drink in a few years. The 2017 and 2016 were about power, but the 2018 is about finesse and subtlety." James Suckling

"The 2018 Sassicaia is fabulous. Bright and beautifully poised, the 2018 opens with brilliant aromatics that make a strong first impression. Delicate and light on its feet, the 2018 is a regal wine that is going to need a number of years to come into its own. Sassicaia is the most finessed of Bolgheri's top wines. That is very much the case in 2018 as well. I loved it." Vinous

"This is a classic vintage of an Italian icon now celebrating its 50th vintage. The Tenuta San Guido 2018 Bolgheri Sassicaia lays out a familiar blueprint that borrows from the proven track record of this landmark estate that extends into the hills just beyond the Tyrrhenian shores of Tuscany. This vintage is crystalline and pure in its delivery, and if you are familiar with previous editions, it is impossible to mistake this wine for anything but Sassicaia. The palate is lifted and bright, the finish is polished and long, and the wine skips over any heaviness on the mid-palate. The bouquet is especially intriguing with a very lively plummy fruit element that is enhanced by baker's chocolate, pepper spice, iron ore, caramel and pie crust. There is also a green character that adds positively to the bouquet with aniseed, tea leaf, soya, menthol rub and black olive. The fruit maturity is spot-on with no elements that feel over or underripe. Overall, the 2018 Sassicaia weighs in with a svelte frame and long persistence. Moreover, it is distinguished by the archetypal elegance and pedigree of the classic vintages of the past. This new release gives you much pleasure to await." Robert Parker

"All about radiance and finesse, this iconic Tuscan red has beguiling aromas of cedar, wild red berry, menthol and pipe tobacco that mingle with fragrant blue flowers. Made with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, the focused, elegantly structured palate is vibrant and savory, delivering cassis, orange zest, licorice and a hint of coffee framed in taut, polished tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized and balanced." Wine Enthusiast

Since Guidalberto has been vinified from its own grapes, most of which also grow in the Sassicaia DOC monopoly position, San Guido's "second wine" has almost surpassed itself. Spicy, earthy bouquet with hints of tobacco, clove and lavender, dense and juicy on the palate with fresh red and black berry fruit. The tannins are well-dosed and the finish is complex with a majestic elegance that will become even more refined with years of bottle ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

"Mid ruby with a touch of sediment - a sample blend, rather than a finished wine, as with the last two release presentations. Quite reticent on the nose, just giving hints of what it's got - a flash of creamy vanilla, a scent of ripe, plummy, black fruit and some toasted tobacco. Full bodied, with mouth-coating but fine-grained tannins. Plump and velvety - Merlot making its presence felt here. Pretty good length too. This is embryonic and a little closed, but I think has plenty to give - an attractive Guidalberto that will reward cellaring." Jancis Robinson

"This enticing red offers alluring aromas of fragrant purple flowers, dark-skinned berries and crushed mint. The elegantly structured palate doles out succulent blackberry, orange zest, licorice and saline notes set against taut, refined tannins. It's nicely balanced by fresh acidity." Wine Enthusiast

In its 50th vintage, Sassicaia could hardly be more typical or distinctive. After a rather mixed spring, the weather then became so warm and dry that the Cabernet grapes were finally able to ripen optimally and make this flagship Bolgheri unmistakable in a remarkably pure and personality-strong appearance. Thus, the 2018 edition became a model of balance and finesse, gliding down the palate almost weightlessly and in a precisely proportioned frame.

Fascinating bouquet of cherries, flowers, some chocolate, wild herbs and plums. The overall package of this wine is equal to its jubilee, Sassicaia 2018, besides its undisputed class for decades, once again impressively represents its origin and rightly confirms that a separate DOC was even created for this wine icon. SUPERIORE.DE

"Mid ruby. Initially quite scented, then strangely closed a little in the glass. Subtle tones of cedar, vanilla and dried tobacco, with precision of fresh blackcurrant and a hint of black cherry. There's an underlying graphite and stone/mineral complexity too. Juicy palate - certainly good acidity here - and a comparatively moderate tannic load, both of which work in harmony to structure the wine. The tannins are fine grained, without the somewhat pinched texture I saw in the 2017 vintage, though will nevertheless benefit from a little cellaring to resolve to a silky finesse. At about three-quarter distance there's just a hint of wateriness, but then the delicate flavour does persist to a very good-length finish. This is certainly Sassicaia in the elegant and subtle mould v 2017's more powerful iteration. It would be interesting to evaluate these two side by side in a few years." Jancis Robinson

"Refined and complex, this red is all about finesse and restraint, starting out with floral and black currant flavors that build steadily on the palate, with olive, cedar, tobacco and spice notes adding detail as this lingers on the terrific finish. Needs five to seven years to fully emerge." Wine Spectator

"Star bright raspberry in colour, this has an elegance and a sense of lift right from the start - a beautifully balanced, finessed and classical Sassicaia. The freshly cut and dried herbs of great Italian wines reveals themselves through the slow build up across the palate, along with gentle tobacco and liquorice notes. This is juicy and elegant, showing passion fruit and raspberry with an undertow of complexity. One to savour." Decanter

"Beautiful, serene aromas of sweet berries and wild flowers with light lavender and fresh sage. Really aromatic. A firm, silky red with medium to full body and ultra fine tannins that are polished and beautiful. Lots of blue fruit and blackberries follow through to a beautiful finish. Really tight and polished. Bright acidity. Will be lovely to drink in a few years. The 2017 and 2016 were about power, but the 2018 is about finesse and subtlety." James Suckling

"The 2018 Sassicaia is fabulous. Bright and beautifully poised, the 2018 opens with brilliant aromatics that make a strong first impression. Delicate and light on its feet, the 2018 is a regal wine that is going to need a number of years to come into its own. Sassicaia is the most finessed of Bolgheri's top wines. That is very much the case in 2018 as well. I loved it." Vinous

"This is a classic vintage of an Italian icon now celebrating its 50th vintage. The Tenuta San Guido 2018 Bolgheri Sassicaia lays out a familiar blueprint that borrows from the proven track record of this landmark estate that extends into the hills just beyond the Tyrrhenian shores of Tuscany. This vintage is crystalline and pure in its delivery, and if you are familiar with previous editions, it is impossible to mistake this wine for anything but Sassicaia. The palate is lifted and bright, the finish is polished and long, and the wine skips over any heaviness on the mid-palate. The bouquet is especially intriguing with a very lively plummy fruit element that is enhanced by baker's chocolate, pepper spice, iron ore, caramel and pie crust. There is also a green character that adds positively to the bouquet with aniseed, tea leaf, soya, menthol rub and black olive. The fruit maturity is spot-on with no elements that feel over or underripe. Overall, the 2018 Sassicaia weighs in with a svelte frame and long persistence. Moreover, it is distinguished by the archetypal elegance and pedigree of the classic vintages of the past. This new release gives you much pleasure to await." Robert Parker

"All about radiance and finesse, this iconic Tuscan red has beguiling aromas of cedar, wild red berry, menthol and pipe tobacco that mingle with fragrant blue flowers. Made with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, the focused, elegantly structured palate is vibrant and savory, delivering cassis, orange zest, licorice and a hint of coffee framed in taut, polished tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized and balanced." Wine Enthusiast

Enormously complex on the nose: we discover cassis, elderberries, heart-cherries and floral and mineral-earthy notes. In the mouth it is firm, precise and yet extremely elegant and balsamic, with a lot of juiciness and a very fine tannin, which is already irresistible in its young years. We have seldom enjoyed a wine that is so dense and full and at the same time seduces with a balance that makes it unique. Further bottle maturity is inevitably rewarded, although a further increase seems hardly imaginable. SUPERIORE.DE

"With this wine, more than 50 years ago, the success story of international grape varieties began in Bolgheri: the Incisa della Rocchetta family recognised the potential of the Bordeaux grape varieties and created this monolith of Italian wine culture. To this day, it is produced almost unchanged and mainly from Cabernet Franc: an appealing nose of fresh stone fruit, juniper and tobacco; the attack is polished, the tannins fine-grained and fresh, invigorating acidity, an extremely complex final on notes of red fruit and spices. Always one of the most elegant interpretations of the terroir." Vinum

"The 2017 Sassicaia is a fascinating wine that symbolizes a never-ending tug-of-war between vintner and vintage. The question is who comes out on top? In this case, my money is on the vintner. The 2017 vintage, characterized by scorching heat and drought across much of Italy, was not an easy one. This Sassicaia represents 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Cabernet Franc, with most of the fruit coming from the Tenuta's historic vineyards Castiglioncello, Quercione and Doccino. These plots are all located on the back hill of Bolgheri at slightly higher elevations where they enjoy cooler nighttime temperatures. Old vines also have a deeper root system that is key to braving dry and hot summers. You can absolutely taste those choices here thanks to the wine's aromatic profile that offers more variety-driven green highlights of wild berry, forest floor and bramble than I would have expected. With time, as the wine takes on more air in the glass, you get a hint of summer plum or cherry cough drop, and this, to my surprise, is the only subtle reminder of the hot vintage encountered. I found the aromas here to be authentically "Tuscan" in character, more so than other vintages, with balsamic and Mediterranean elements that borrow directly from the Sangiovese playbook. The decision to use more neutral oak favors the reduction of oxygen and softens the tannic profile. Although the wine does end with a hint of bitterness, it took on noticeably more volume and soft richness the longer I kept my sample in the glass." Robert Parker

"A taut, densely wrought red, with black currant, black cherry, iron, wild herb and spice flavors matched to the elegant frame and restrained character. Balanced and long, this has a distinctly Old World feel and looks set to unravel its complex facets slowly." Wine Spectator

"The 2017 Sassicaia is dark, sensual and rich, which is a good thing, as the tannins - the result of a warm, dry year in which phenolic ripening was difficult to fully reach - are also quite powerful. I tasted the 2017 from an approximate blend from barrel, where the wines are still aging in separate lots. It will be interesting to see where things end up once the wine is in bottle." Vinous

"The balance and beauty to this is impressive, offering sweet, ripe currants and flowers with some crushed-stone and dry-earth undertones. Full-bodied with soft, polished tannins and a long, creamy-textured finish. It’s polished, yet concentrated. Better after 2022, but already very seductive." James Suckling

"Aromas of exotic spice, baked plum and French oak mingle with camphor and blue flower on the nose. This boasts extraordinary elegance and freshness despite the hot vintage, delivering flavors of juicy Marasca cherry, spiced blueberry, tobacco and licorice. Velvety, fine-grained tannins provide support while coffee and crushed mint linger on the finish." Wine Enthusiast

In its 50th vintage, Sassicaia could hardly be more typical or distinctive. After a rather mixed spring, the weather then became so warm and dry that the Cabernet grapes were finally able to ripen optimally and make this flagship Bolgheri unmistakable in a remarkably pure and personality-strong appearance. Thus, the 2018 edition became a model of balance and finesse, gliding down the palate almost weightlessly and in a precisely proportioned frame.

Fascinating bouquet of cherries, flowers, some chocolate, wild herbs and plums. The overall package of this wine is equal to its jubilee, Sassicaia 2018, besides its undisputed class for decades, once again impressively represents its origin and rightly confirms that a separate DOC was even created for this wine icon. SUPERIORE.DE

"Mid ruby. Initially quite scented, then strangely closed a little in the glass. Subtle tones of cedar, vanilla and dried tobacco, with precision of fresh blackcurrant and a hint of black cherry. There's an underlying graphite and stone/mineral complexity too. Juicy palate - certainly good acidity here - and a comparatively moderate tannic load, both of which work in harmony to structure the wine. The tannins are fine grained, without the somewhat pinched texture I saw in the 2017 vintage, though will nevertheless benefit from a little cellaring to resolve to a silky finesse. At about three-quarter distance there's just a hint of wateriness, but then the delicate flavour does persist to a very good-length finish. This is certainly Sassicaia in the elegant and subtle mould v 2017's more powerful iteration. It would be interesting to evaluate these two side by side in a few years." Jancis Robinson

"Refined and complex, this red is all about finesse and restraint, starting out with floral and black currant flavors that build steadily on the palate, with olive, cedar, tobacco and spice notes adding detail as this lingers on the terrific finish. Needs five to seven years to fully emerge." Wine Spectator

"Star bright raspberry in colour, this has an elegance and a sense of lift right from the start - a beautifully balanced, finessed and classical Sassicaia. The freshly cut and dried herbs of great Italian wines reveals themselves through the slow build up across the palate, along with gentle tobacco and liquorice notes. This is juicy and elegant, showing passion fruit and raspberry with an undertow of complexity. One to savour." Decanter

"Beautiful, serene aromas of sweet berries and wild flowers with light lavender and fresh sage. Really aromatic. A firm, silky red with medium to full body and ultra fine tannins that are polished and beautiful. Lots of blue fruit and blackberries follow through to a beautiful finish. Really tight and polished. Bright acidity. Will be lovely to drink in a few years. The 2017 and 2016 were about power, but the 2018 is about finesse and subtlety." James Suckling

"The 2018 Sassicaia is fabulous. Bright and beautifully poised, the 2018 opens with brilliant aromatics that make a strong first impression. Delicate and light on its feet, the 2018 is a regal wine that is going to need a number of years to come into its own. Sassicaia is the most finessed of Bolgheri's top wines. That is very much the case in 2018 as well. I loved it." Vinous

"This is a classic vintage of an Italian icon now celebrating its 50th vintage. The Tenuta San Guido 2018 Bolgheri Sassicaia lays out a familiar blueprint that borrows from the proven track record of this landmark estate that extends into the hills just beyond the Tyrrhenian shores of Tuscany. This vintage is crystalline and pure in its delivery, and if you are familiar with previous editions, it is impossible to mistake this wine for anything but Sassicaia. The palate is lifted and bright, the finish is polished and long, and the wine skips over any heaviness on the mid-palate. The bouquet is especially intriguing with a very lively plummy fruit element that is enhanced by baker's chocolate, pepper spice, iron ore, caramel and pie crust. There is also a green character that adds positively to the bouquet with aniseed, tea leaf, soya, menthol rub and black olive. The fruit maturity is spot-on with no elements that feel over or underripe. Overall, the 2018 Sassicaia weighs in with a svelte frame and long persistence. Moreover, it is distinguished by the archetypal elegance and pedigree of the classic vintages of the past. This new release gives you much pleasure to await." Robert Parker

"All about radiance and finesse, this iconic Tuscan red has beguiling aromas of cedar, wild red berry, menthol and pipe tobacco that mingle with fragrant blue flowers. Made with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, the focused, elegantly structured palate is vibrant and savory, delivering cassis, orange zest, licorice and a hint of coffee framed in taut, polished tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized and balanced." Wine Enthusiast