It is always an emotion to open a bottle of Sassicaia. It would be a good rule to open the bottle the day before, put the wine in a decanter and swirl it for about twenty minutes and then put it back in the bottle and leave it open to allow continuous oxygenation.
Coming to the climatic trend of the 2020 vintage, it should be noted that it was characterized by persistent rains from the second half of October until the entire month of December. During this period, up until the first half of February, temperatures were high, often above normal, while from the second half of February, temperatures dropped to near 0 degrees. In March there were strong sea winds, some rain, but mild temperatures. The weather was mild in April with sunny days and average temperatures. The night temperatures were below the seasonal values.
From May to mid-June there were various storm disturbances and persistence of fresh air from the north.
Since 17 June the weather has recovered with sunny days and temperatures in the seasonal average. In July, temperatures dropped again and there was some rainfall. In August, temperatures were above the seasonal average, causing an acceleration of the ripening of the grapes. Luckily there was no stress on the plants thanks to the good water supply of the land. The heat continued both day and night and therefore the harvest began on 3 September with the Merlot then with the younger Cabernet Francs and ended at the end of September with the Cabernet Sauvignon.
It was a harvest of lower production, around 15-18% compared to the already reduced 2019. The lower production is due to the late spring frosts which affected the primary buds.
Despite all this, Sassicaia 2020 is a great wine, perhaps less ready than 2019, with an evident acidity on the palate with a taste of not completely ripe fruit. All this portends a long life of the wine.
Now we come to my tasting notes.
TENUTA SAN GUIDO
SASSICAIA, vintage 2020
Ruby red with purple textures.
From the glass rise scents of mint, eucalyptus, small grains of licorice, black pepper, intense nutmeg, sea water (inner white part of watermelon peel) lavender soap reminds me of soap (Atkinson), sacristy furniture ( incense), Marseille soap, rosemary, laurel and sage.
On the palate it has freshness and acidity in evidence, flavors of not fully ripe blackberries and plums.
Sapid and mineral wine. The body is medium, not muscular but delicate.
Good gustatory balance with evident relief on the alcoholic mass. The tannins are sweet, velvety, almost completely broad and coat the upper gum (6/6-). Long is its intense aromatic persistence with blueberry and blackberry finish.
Long aging wine due to its generous freshness.
(98/100)
