Wine Advisor
Fattoria Le Pupille, Saffredi 2017
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
Wow, there is a very impressive freshness here that defies the heat of this vintage. The 2017 Saffredi does not seem like a 2017 at all. Now celebrating its 30th birthday, Saffredi is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot. Thanks to the vineyard's proximity to the sea, leaving leaves on the vines and the sharp diurnal shifts of the area, the fruit was able to ripen in a balanced manner despite the hot and dry summer. The team at Fattoria le Pupille knew they would have to be ready to harvest early and lose some their yields, and they did. In the end, production was down 25%, but the result is a fresh, thick and beautiful red made with ripe fruit and dark concentration. This is a great effort from Fattoria le Pupille. This wine will be released in November.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Just bottled, the 2017 Saffredi is a huge, unctuous wine that captures all the natural richness of the year in spades. Rich and super-concentrated, with huge fruit, the 2017 is going to need a number of years to shed some of its baby fat, but it is a superb wine in the making. Coffee, licorice and spice all develop, and yet it is the wine's sheer depth that leaves the lasting impression.
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
This vintage is remembered for the heat and the dry growing conditions that continued throughout the summer months. The 2017 Saffredi represents a valiant effort of winemaker against weather. This estate, located not too far from Grosseto on the Tuscan coast, is used to hot growing seasons, and there is something in its DNA that better prepares a winery like Fattoria le Pupille to navigate the effects of climate change. I think it is fair to read the 2017 vintage in that context. You get dark fruit, leather and tobacco spread over a more exuberant, full-bodied approach. Toasted coffee bean and espresso also appears. Natural freshness is ultimately what ties this wine expertly together.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Just bottled, the 2017 Saffredi is a huge, unctuous wine that captures all the natural richness of the year in spades. Rich and super-concentrated, with huge fruit, the 2017 is going to need a number of years to shed some of its baby fat, but it is a superb wine in the making. Coffee, licorice and spice all develop, and yet it is the wine's sheer depth that leaves the lasting impression.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
A very solid red with currants, dark berries and spices. Full body, round and polished tannins and an intense finish. It is already shaping up to be one of the best of the vintage. A blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 10% petit verdot.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Gorgeous blackberries, dark chocolate, spice and lightly roasted coffee. Full body. Layered and creamy. Lovely, silky tannins that melt into the wine. A beautiful red from the vintage with class and finesse to the depth of fruit. Drink or hold.
About the Producer
Fattoria Le Pupille is a leading wine estate in the Maremma region of coastal Tuscany. It is best known for Saffredi, a Toscana IGT blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot that has been described as the Lafite of Tuscany. Owner Elisabetta Geppetti is known as the Lady of Morellino and the Ambassador of Maremma. In 1992 she became head of the Consorzio for Morellino di Scansano - the region's association of grape growers and wine producers. She was the first woman to gain that position in any Italian wine region. The estate has 75 hectares (185 acres) of vineyards in total, the core of which are located around the village of Peretta. These vineyard holdings include the 25ha (62 acres) of the original Pupille vineyard and the 5-ha (12-acre) plot responsible for Saffredi. There is also a 20-ha (50-acre) plot near Magliano, and the winery itself is located near Grosseto. This is a modern facility located within the traditionally-styled building that features on the label. As well as Saffredi, Le Pupille makes three Sangiovese-based Morellino di Scansano cuvées. These are a "normale", a Riserva, and the Poggio Valente Riserva, which is aged for 15 months in a mix of small and large barrels. There is also a IGT Maremma Toscana Rosso, named Pelofino, which is a blend of Sangiovese and Syrah with a small amount of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc. 2015 saw the first release of Le Pupille, a 100 percent Syrah aged for 12 months in 300-liter French oak barrels. This is priced above the flagship Saffredi. The estate also makes a Rosamatti rosato and a Poggio Argentato white based on Sauvignon Blanc with Petit Manseng, Traminer and Semillon. Piemme is a recently introduced single variety deluxe white wine from Petit Manseng . The lineup is completed by SolAlto, a botrytized white wine made from Traminer, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. In total around 500,000 bottles are produced each year.
