2001 Le Pupille Saffredi Super Tuscans/IGT

2001 Le Pupille Saffredi

95 DEC

Featured Review

Apart from frost in mid-April, 2001 was an uncomplicated growing season, the second for consultant winemaker Christian Le Sommer. Cabernet Sauvignon remains at 55%, but Alicante is 10% and Merlot is down to 35% (the previous year, 2000, saw Alicante at its all-time high of 15% and Merlot at 30%). A lively, deep ruby colour, it displays a beautiful fragrant perfume and sweet-fruited purity and intensity on the palate. The tannins are still mouth-coating but lithe, balanced by the depth of fruit and the freshness. Still full of vitality. Drinking Window 2020 - 2025. Decanter

Decanter | 95 DEC

Exotic and seductive. Interesting aromas of very ripe plum fruit and hints of rosemary turn to flowers and spices. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a long orange peel and fruit aftertaste. The best since 1997. Best after 2008. 2,080 cases made, 200 cases imported.

Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Saffredi was the first important Cabernet from the southern part of the Tuscan coast, but more recent versions have changed in style with the addition of Merlot and Alicante to the blend, as in the 2001 Saffredi. The full ruby color, the intense and penetrating aromas of cassis, plum jam, and kirsch, sweetened and given more complexity by the notes of vanilla and sandalwood of the oak, the Mediterranean warmth and fullness of the flavors, focused, firm, and with a very important energy and length, are all the characteristics of superior grapes and winemaking. Drink: 2005-2020.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

The 2001 is vibrant, rich and expansive, with gorgeous layers of dark cherries in liqueur, menthol, tobacco, leather and licorice. The wine flows with great intensity all the way through to the enveloping, sensual finish. The 2001 appears to be at the early part of its drinking window. Both bottles I tasted showed elements of rusticity, particularly in the bouquet, that worsened with air.

Antonio Galloni | 90 AG

Type of Wine	Super Tuscans/IGT
Varietal	Proprietary Blend : Proprietary Blend is a general term used to indicate that a wine is comprised of multiple grape varietals which are either “proprietary” to the winery or is blended and does not meet the required maximum or minimum percentage of a particular varietal. This also is the case for the grape’s place of origin, especially for region, appellation or vineyard designated wines. There are endless examples of blended wines which are labeled as “Proprietary Blend” and in conjunction with each region’s stipulated wine laws and regulations makes for a vast blanket for wines to fall into. Perhaps the simplest example is California; if a wine is to be labeled as Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, it is required to have at least 75% of the varietal (Cabernet Sauvignon) and 85% of the fruit must be cultivated from the Napa Valley wine district. If the wine does not meet the requirements, it is then labeled as Proprietary Blend.
Country	Italy : Italy is renowned as one of the world’s greatest gastronomic havens; from certified Prosciutto di Parma to the sea-side seafood eateries on the island of Sicily. However, this epicurean experience could not possibly be as hedonistic without the ethereal combination of the country’s plethora of fine wines. It seems unfair that a nation should be able to boast, both, some of the world’s greatest cuisine as well as its greatest wines. Italian wine is one of the most sought after in the world, and has become the second most produced in the world, behind only France. Stretching an impressive 736 miles from northern Italy to the peninsula’s southern tip, the country’s geography generates an enormous array of topography, climate and soil structure. This is an extremely important quality of its winegrowing and making industry which lays claim to nearly 550 different grape varietals, which all desire their own necessities, in terms of terroir and climate. The still red wines of Italy truly characterize the nation’s vast and expansive terroir; Nebbiolo dominates Piedmont, where Barolo and Barbaresco reign king and queen of the region’s production. Hailing from Brunello di Montalcino in Tuscany, the rockstar Sangiovese grape has become synonymous with greatness. Vin Santo sweet wines have taken on a mighty feat of competing with the glorious wines of Sauternes, and of course, Prosecco. Prosecco, located in Trieste (northeast Italy) and its creation of luxuriously effervescent styles of wine has become Italy’s answer to Champagne. The Glera grape variety, which has become synonymous with the name Prosecco, is the main ingredient and is beloved in the appellation where the village of Prosecco’s name has become world renowned. The blurred boundary between Italy and the countries of Slovenia and Austria, where German influence still resonates through Friuli wines. The prevalence of Riesling and other such grape varietals is high in this region and have become extremely popular on today’s market. With nearly 702,000 hectares of grapevines covering the massive and diverse landscape, Italy’s annual average of 48.3 million hectoliters of wine production is second only to France in terms of volume and Spain in terms of hectares of vines. The country is vast and overwhelming when it comes to the culinary arts, but perhaps even this is overshadowed by its production of some of the world’s most sought after wines, whether the omnipresent Chianti to the highly collectible and sought after Amarone della Valpolicalla.
Region	Tuscany : Italian culture worships the concept of a shared meal, and their wines scream for a chance to be uncorked with your friends and family. The region's Mediterranean climate and hilly landscape combine to create a beautiful viticultural environment, where every chosen grape is brought to its full potential and transmuted into drinks worthy of gods. The vineyards are planted along the higher reaches of the hill slopes, creating a gorgeous view of the Italian landscape. Once your lips kiss the wine, you're sent spiraling down a veritable whirlpool of pure flavor, touching upon notes of sensuous cherry, nuts, floral hints and undertones of honey and minerals. The wines can be as sweet as a fresh summer romance, and carry an air of dignity and elegance about them that can stimulate your intellect for months as you contemplate the seemingly infinite intricacies and details in the texture. Tuscany is an important part of Italian viticulture, and sampling their wines is the closest you can get to visiting this heavenly region and experiencing the culture.