It was a tempting opportunity: a vertical tasting of the iconic Saffredi to celebrate 40 vintages of Elisabetta Geppetti and her Fattoria Le Pupille. Ten vintages from 1993 to the preview of 2023.
On Monday, October 6, we travel to Fattoria Le Pupille, at the foot of Roselle in Morellino territory, for an important birthday: the 40th vintage of Elisabetta Geppetti, aka “Le Pupille.” We are a long way from Pereta, a locality that saw the first steps taken by Elizabeth, who shortly, bypassing the hierarchies of the denomination, became the Lady of Morellino.
The old cellar has for years been replaced by a beautiful and functional complex which was expanded for the occasion with a structure perfectly integrated with the landscape, home to reception, offices and company shop. In the kitchen we glimpse the legendary Valeria Piccini (da Caino restaurant) and the day becomes unforgettable. Elisabetta, as sunny as ever, is surrounded by three of her children: Clara who is the dauphin, Ettore, who has been the production manager for a few years now, and the “little one” of the house, Diletta, in an all-around role.
The vertical tasting
For the celebration we were offered an extensive vertical tasting of the iconic estate and Maremma wine, the Saffredi which is now in its 38th vintage. We started from 1993 to arrive at the 2023 preview.
Saffredi has always been a reference for the whole area and among the best Supertuscans (as it is known abroad). For years classic bordeaux blend with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, in early editions had a touch of Alicante, a grape variety now indigenous but brought in the mid-1700s by the Spanish to the Presidium state, of which we still have great evidence, including fortresses, prisons and the countless coastal towers. The small percentage of Alicante was replaced from 2004 to 2012 by the Syrah and then finally giving way to the Petit Verdot.
The evolution of Saffredi has been slow with contributions from great winemakers who have dealt with it, always with fantastic results thanks to the personality of the historic Pereta vineyard created by that genius of Giacomo Tachis and from Elizabeth’s intuition and love for this area. Among the performers Christian Le Sommer, Luca D’Attoma and now the young scion Ettore Rizzi, who has brilliantly held his own.
Saffredi is in wine that always maintains its personality as a bright and sunny Bordeaux but with different echoes that well reflect the vintages and their characteristics. Thus we have the 2014 more bordelaise, the 2022 solar and Mediterranean, the 2020 sunny but nervous and the surprising 2017, enveloping without olfactory heaviness. Fantastic 1993 With a very elegant and still lively flavor. While the 2003 varied greatly from bottle to bottle perhaps due to an unhappy batch of corks. Excellent prospects for the 2023 still in refinement, presented in pre-announcement.
Toscana Saffredi 2022
Score: 97/100
Average price in wine shop: € 80,00
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. 15 months in mainly new barrels. Dark ruby. Ripe black and red fruits, slightly smoky, graphite, raspberry. Intense but flowing texture with classy tannins and good savoriness given the vintage. Excellent, balanced progression with juicy, layered finish.
Toscana Saffredi 2021
Score: 99/100
Average price in wine shop: € 80,00
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. 18 months in new and second-passage barriques. Compact ruby. Complex nose of graphite, raspberry, small blue berries and a classy smoky touch. Mouthfeel of great elegance, with compact, energetic but balanced texture, refined tannins and a savoriness that lightens the savory, juicy progression. Interminable and classy finish. The best ever produced.
Toscana Saffredi 2020
Score: 96/100
Average price in wine shop: € 80,00
80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Ages 18 months in partly new barrels. Dark ruby. Bouquet on intense notes of blueberries, blackberries, a delicate smokiness and graphite. Intense, juicy, sunny flavor texture, excellent progression governed by crisp tannins that help the drinking. Excellent finish.
Toscana Saffredi 2019
Score: 98/100
Average price in wine shop: € 80,00
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. 18 months in barrels, 70% new. Intense ruby. Sharp, austere nose with eucalyptus and slightly balsamic notes over a base of small black fruits and spices. Small nuances of autumn woods. Intense texture with well-wrapped crisp tannins, broad, austere and vertical flavor progression. Excellent lingering and cool finish.
Toscana Saffredi 30th 2017
Score: 94/100
Average price in wine shop: € 80,00
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. Barrique for 18 months . Very intense dark ruby. Nose on warm notes of blackberries and yellow spice, then licorice and bark. Sunny and juicy texture, progression rests on short but flowing tannins, broad but flavorful finish.
Toscana Saffredi 2014
Score: 95/100
Average price in wine shop: € 80,00
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. 18 months in barrique. Intense, bright ruby. Nose with notes of graphite, eucalyptus, cedar, cool and almost Bordeaux-like balsamic hints, a wine of more than sunny light. Medium texture with excellent balances and an unexpected verticality for the area but very composed and fascinating. An elegant and fresh finish, not redundant but balanced.
Maremma Toscana Saffredi 25° 2012
Score: 94/100
Average price in wine shop: € 80,00
First vintage followed in its entirety by consulting winemaker Luca D’Attoma. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. 18 months in barrique. Dark ruby. Nose with hints of yellow and red orange, refreshing and unique mistletoe notes with mulberry fruit pressing through. Slight evolution on yellow tobacco leaf, interesting. Intense and sunny texture with still crunchy tannin making for a nervous progression. The finish closes slightly tight but very persistent
