The 2019 Sassicaia is a truly beautiful wine. 2019 was a return to some normality in terms of the characteristics of the vintage after the cool wet and slightly humid 2018 and the hot and very dry 2017. 2019 had more regular weather patterns throughout the year. For Priscilla Incisa Della Rocchetta and the Tenuta San Guido team 2019 was one of the great vintages of the last decade, 'a fantastic growing season that one wishes to happen every year.' This wine is, of course, still very young and full of subtle, creamy oak and brilliant ripe blackberry fruit. A sort of joyful vivacity bubbles over in this wine. The wonderful thing about it, is that it already has a beautiful inner harmony with a delightful texture and weight and very finely melded, integrated tannins. It just needs time to really show its full potential.

The purity of cabernet sauvignon fruit is exceptional here, with character and sensibility that’s reminiscent of some of the great Sassicaias from the 1980s, such as 1982 or 1988. But this is much more precise and clean. Aromas and flavors of currants and berries with cedar and earth. Sage and minty character, too. It’s full-bodied yet there’s so much polish and balance, together with structure, elegance, and refinement. Hard not to drink at this stage, yet give it time and respect. This will be a classic Sass and reminds me why I love this wine. Try after 2026.

Enticing aromas of blue flower, cassis, camphor and spice are front and center in this stunning red. The lithe, savory palate features black currant, red plum and star anise while tobacco notes linger on the long finish. Elegant, polished tannins and bright acidity keep it beautifully balanced and focused. Drink 2025–2044. KERIN O’KEEFE

Tasting this in a vertical with a good 20 year gap between the oldest and the youngest wines, and although this is only five years old, with clear density to the flavours, it's striking that the soft caress of the tannins that you find in the 1988 is still in evidence in the younger wine. Smoky peat aromatics, rich red cherry, raspberry, balsamic, iron, oyster shell salinity, a careful climb in the tannins, it's all here already. A wonderful vintage in Tuscany, great clarity on the palate, the feeling that you are in the presence of true beauty. Just at the starting blocks but an exceptional wine. 40% new oak for ageing, Carlo Paoli director.

The 2019 Sassicaia is exquisite and refined, with interwoven layers of cassis, leather, Mediterranean herbs, and dark mineral earth. It is medium to full-bodied, with ripe though present tannins and a long and elegant finish that lifts off the palate and has fantastic energy throughout, with notes of black cherry, tobacco, and a stony texture. There is a classic and tension-filled sensibility that will benefit from several years in cellar to achieve its full expression. Drink 2025-2045. - Audrey Frick

Supple and beautifully defined, with black cherry, black currant and blackberry fruit augmented by tobacco, iron and thyme. Firmly structured, tightening up as this lingers with an aftertaste of dark fruit, graphite and spice. Shows a sense of elegance as well as power and intensity. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2045. From Italy.—B.S.

(97+ point) Tenuta San Guido’s 2019 Bolgheri Sassicaia remains somewhat reserved or "behind" aromatically, signaling that it still has a long road ahead before reaching its peak drinking window. It shows rich concentration with elegant fruit weight and a pretty mineral backline, supported by natural spiciness, freshness and energy. Phenolically rich and reminiscent of the slower-aging 2009 vintage, the bouquet is distinguished by a black petrol or campfire ash character that gradually gives way to plump, sweet fruit and bright accents of spice. The palate reveals texture through slowly resolving tannins, and while the 2019 can feel a touch more abrupt when tasted alongside the supremely fluid and supple 2023, it promises depth and longevity with further cellaring.. - Monica Larner

(94+ points) The 2019 Sassicaia is restrained and also a bit reticent in its first impression. Rose petal, dried herbs, blood orange, mint, sweet pipe tobacco and cinnamon give the 2019 striking aromatic presence. The 2019 is a mid-weight, very classic feeling Sassicaia that is going to need a number of years to open. There's good fruit depth, but the tannins are not as polished as they usually are. That could be a result of lingering stress from frost that year or recent bottling. The 2019 saw 18-20 days on the skins with natural ferments. Malos followed in tank. Aging was 25 months in barrel (1/3rd new), a longer elevage than normal. The 2019 shows beautifully with a few hours of aeration, so I am optimistic for the future. Let's see what happens. By Antonio Galloni on February 2022