“The register, structure and balance are all superb, with finely judged ripe tannins, a reserved intensity and wonderful depth of flavour. Gorgeous and impressive, this will only get better with time.,” says Dean of Saffredi 2018.
It was in the early 1980s when Elisabetta Geppetti took over the Fattoria Le Pupille estate and started to renew it with the help of Antinori’s legendary winemaker, the late Giacomo Tachis (creator of Sassicaia, Tignanello and Solaia) and Elisabetta’s father-in-law and mentor, Alfredo Gentili, or Fredi for short – the name Saffredi being a tribute to him.
Although the Super Tuscans had been around for over a decade the decision to create a wine of this quality in the Maremma was a brave one, it not being an area of Tuscany renowned for making refined wines.
Elisabetta and Clara Geppetti
“When I launched Saffredi, in the late 1980s, Fattoria Le Pupille was just taking its very first steps. The Super Tuscans were starting to receive attention, but not in the Maremma, which had not yet won recognition as a premium wine growing region,” Geppetti explains,“so Saffredi’s creation was a great challenge, but I had full confidence in my instincts. And at that time, I enjoyed the support of my father-in-law and mentor Fredi and of my friend and oenologist Giacomo Tachis.”
Following Tachis’ assistance Geppetti has enjoyed the help of consultants Riccardo Cotarella, Christian Le Sommer, and, since 2012, Luca D’Attoma.
The rest is history, of course, with Saffredi now taking its place as one of the best Super Tuscans. A Bordeaux blend, the wine started off as Cabernet-dominant with Merlot and Alicante used at varying percentages within the blend. Syrah replaced the Alicante from 2004, which was then replaced by Petit Verdot in 2012 when consultant oenologist Luca D’Attoma took complete control over the wine. Since then D’Attoma has introduced greater consistency with Saffredi being set as a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot in every vintage he has overseen.
Saffredi comes from 14 hectares of vines, one vineyard planted South-West in 1985, and the other planted South-East in 2006. Altitude is between 250 and 280 metres above sea level, the soil with a high proportion of sandstone and clay, yield is a high 5,000 kg per hectare from 4,000 vines per hectare.
After a manual harvest the grapes are fermented in steel, have 25 days maceration and then aged for 18 months, 20% in one and two year old French oak barrels and 80% in new ones.
Tasting my way through 21 different vintages that span the 31 vintages produced, it reminds me of a tin of Caran d’Ache pencils gradually turning from one colour to the next, each year changing ever so slightly in colour, fruit profile, and structure.
A tasting to celebrate the first 30 years of Saffredi
So how were the wines tasting?
Saffredi 1992
78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 5% Alicante
Brick red-brown; ripe and rich, but still fresh – secondary and tertiary flavours. Fruit is still there but it has a rumtopf/ spirit edge, notes of old wood, savouriness. The tannins are velvety with a dry, long finish.
Saffredi 1993
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 7% Alicante
The 1993 feels more evolved than 1992; very light mahogany; savoury notes of
old wood, leather, faded cassis. The fruit is still there – fruit jelly, strawberry compote – complex, good length and a nice kick of alcohol on the finish.
Saffredi 1995
63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 12% Alicante
My favourite of the wines shown from the 1990s. Had the colour of Oloroso sherry; attractive savoury notes of old wood, earth, leather; the fruit is fresh and more rounded than 1992 or 1993; flavours include blackcurrant preserve/ syrup, a leafy element; dry register on the palate.
Saffredi 1998
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Alicante
Deep mahogany brown. Very savoury and woody; there is terrific balance but it feels its age – the fruit is faded, nice creaminess though on the mid-palate. The tannins are well integrated, quite structure with still decent levels of acidity.
Saffredi 1999
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Alicante
Deep cassis with dark brown edges; this feels very evolved; sous bois notes, mushroom, savoury; very keen acidity on the palate, the fruit is deceptively bright and fresh; long dry finish.
Saffredi 2000
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 15% Alicante
Both bottles had faults.
Saffredi 2001
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Alicante
Very deep rust colour; nose is immediately more rich and fruity than the 1998 and 1999 with less wood; lovely register on the palate, great balance, ripe tannins nicely integrated, fresh mouthfeel, feels youthful, lovely old Cabernet flavours, very dry finish. Outstanding.
Saffredi 2002
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Alicante
Credit to the team for getting such a good wine out of a poor vintage. Looks older than it is – russet with brick-red edging; the nose is simply stunning – voluptuous, red and black fruit, spice, savoury/ umami notes – so complex with so much going on. On the palate the wine is riper, richer, with a more rounded mouthful, less drying tannins, probably the best balance of all the wines in the tasting; dry, chalky finish.
Saffredi 2004
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Syrah
Syrah replaced Alicante for the first time in the wine’s history. To look at the wine is deep crimson (this was the first wine in the tasting not to have bricking). The nose is immediately different with a real savoury, soy, slightly beefy, complexity. On the palate the Cabernet is really singing, nice register on the palate, great structure and balance.
Saffredi 2005
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Syrah
Much darker core – almost opaque – the nose is voluptuous, ripe, with cassis, raspberry, a slight syrup note; gorgeous freshness and balance, framed by more overt tannins, has lovely fine-grained tannins and texture; the finish has a dash of citrus and is mouth-puckeringly dry. Another outstanding vintage.
Saffredi 2006
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Syrah
More bricking than on 2005, with a dark opaque core; gorgeously attractive and complex fine wine nose – rich, ripe, a touch of spice, fresh blackcurrant, slight hint of wild mint, lambs blood; on the palate the tannins feel riper and rounder than 2005, easier in the mouth, beautiful and harmonious.
Saffredi 2007
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Syrah
Much like a Medoc; cooking spice (cardamom or nutmeg), a fresh herbal element, touch of forest floor – very complex; Very fresh on the palate, ripe tannins, structured with grip, more citrus, bit of heat on the finish.
Saffredi 2008
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Syrah
Slight orange edging; lovely savoury component – beef consommé, bit of spice, vanilla bean; Fresh, open, with the fruit noticeably more primary; overt tannins, but a ripe juiciness to the fruit, lovely integration, good acidity, nice balance.
Saffredi 2010
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Syrah
Wow this is a stunner. Dense purple/ black appearance; the nose is such a ‘come-on’ with gorgeous blackberry, blackcurrant, and chargrilled steak; the palate is open, fresh and silky, voluptuous, flamboyant; this is a real step-up from the previous wines and reflective of such a great vintage. The fruit, structure are all so much in balance, framed by very fine, fresh, ripe tannins.
Saffredi 2011
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Syrah
Consultant Luca D’Attoma was responsible for the final blend. The nose is very different, pine needle, fresh herbs (oregano); the palate is fresh, open and lively, slight touch of cheesecloth, iodine, dusty tannins on the front palate.
Saffredi 2012
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot
First vintage overseen completely by consultant Luca D’Attoma. Also the first vintage using Petit Verdot rather than Syrah. The aromas are strikingly more broody, feeling riper and more savoury. A real contrast to the 2011 – this has more loganberry, mulberry, lovely juicy fruit, dustiness.
Saffredi 2013
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot
Lighter, more ruby-red in colour; the nose is vivacious – lively, wild herbal element; the palate is all about the juiciness and mouth-watering fruit – blackcurrant and blackberry, with a range of dark/ black flavours such as soy and charcoal. Very impressive.
Saffredi 2015
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot
Still youthful and less complex; fresh, ripe, slightly chalky, overt tannins, ripe, fresh and round; there’s a diluted feel which could just be the freshness and the youth.
Saffredi 2016
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot
Started a bit closed with some attractive dark chocolate notes, then really opened out in the glass – quite splendid! Slightly crunchy blackcurrant, good edge, bit of grip on the side palate; the tannins are mouth-puckering; everything is all there and in its right place it is just very young.
Saffredi 2017
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot
The 30thvintage of Saffredi. Deep ruby. Stunning nose, primary, complex, shifting – cherry compote, cassis, plums, hint of dark chocolate – attractive and expressive; On the palate the wine is open, rounded and fresh, lovely register of strawberry husks, blackberry, layered with fine-grained texture on the wine. A herbal element, bags of fruit, nicely integrated tannin, keeps your mouth pert with blood orange zest and acidity on the finish. Wow this is terrific.
Saffredi 2018, Fattoria Le Pupille, IGT Toscana
The blend of the 2018 is Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (32%) and Petit Verdot (8%) with the wine having spent 18 months in French oak, 70% new.
Where the 2017 was more red cherry, Victoria plum and cola, the 2018 veers more towards black fruit, the colour an almost opaque dark ruby. The aromatics are less sweet than 17 but just as complex with notes of mulberry, black cherry and currants; with time in the glass there is a fresh Mediterranean herb element, woodfire embers, dark chocolate and sweet tobacco. Medium-weight on the palate, the register, structure and balance are all superb, with finely judged ripe tannins, a reserved intensity and wonderful depth of flavour. Gorgeous and impressive, this will only get better with time. 15% ABV
Vintages which were tasting very well on the day were the following : 1995, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018 with the best being 2010.
Saffredi is imported into the UK by Armit Wines, which is a supplier partner of The Buyer. To find out more about them click here.
