Wine Advisor
Fattoria Le Pupille, Saffredi 2019
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2019 Saffredi is one of the most elegant wines I have ever tasted here. It offers a beguiling mix of opulence in its fruit profile with a classic sense of structure that holds it all together. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, mocha, licorice, leather and cloves infuse the 2019 with notable darkness. I would give the 2019 a few years to soften, as the tannins are pretty imposing today.
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
My article on icon wines from Tuscany focuses primarily on releases from the 2018 vintage. Fattoria le Pupille releases its top wine, the 2019 Saffredi, earlier than the rest. This blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot is explosive. The percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon has been slightly increased in this vintage (and we can expect the same in the warm 2020 vintage that saw the percentage of Merlot further reduced). This 2019 expression boasts a very compact and powerful quality of fruit with deep intensity, thick layering and a velvety texture. This is a real beauty that should be put aside for a few more years of aging.
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
Wow, the Fattoria le Pupille 2019 Saffredi is a gorgeous standout in this retrospective. The wine benefits from long and slow-ripening fruit in a vintage that prizes depth and complexity. You sense the many layers and nuances in the 2019, especially compared to the more monolithic 2020 vintage. This wine is impeccably assembled with a dark fruit component that is elegantly framed by soft oak toast and spice. There is an almost milky quality with macadamia nut or almond cream that serves to smooth out the finish. It ends with velvety soft tannins. I'm sure that the 2019 will benefit from more time in bottle.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2019 Saffredi is one of the most elegant wines I have ever tasted here. It offers a beguiling mix of opulence in its fruit profile with a classic sense of structure that holds it all together. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, mocha, licorice, leather and cloves infuse the 2019 with notable darkness. I would give the 2019 a few years to soften, as the tannins are pretty imposing today.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
So much crushed stone, rosemary, lavender, mint and blackberry. Full-bodied and very structured with layers of powerful and polished tannins. It goes on for minutes. Ink, blackcurrants and blueberries. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot and 5% petit verdot. Needs at least five or six years to open. Try after 2025.
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.
