Sassicaia 2009

Rich and silky, the 2009 Bolgheri Sassicaia offers a powerful rendition of this celebrated wine from coastal Tuscany. The wine opens to dark color saturation and thick aromatic layering that reveals a solid core of black fruit. That fruit is well preserved in terms of its freshness and overall integrity. It will serve the wine well as it evolves over the next two decades. Beyond those dark fruit nuances are delicate embellishments of spice, licorice and balsam herb that add to the wine's evident complexity. In terms of its overall richness, the 2009 vintage of Bolgheri Sassicaia can be compared to 2013, 2011 and 2004.

Score: 96

Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2016-2035 01 July 2016

The buzz is back. Italy’s most iconic wine estate - the ground zero for all fine wine made in the country today - has entered an exciting new chapter with a renewed sense of purpose. This change was not sparked by any single event, rather a confluence of events starting with a fortuitous string of great vintages. I point to the 2009 Sassicaia that so closely recalls the glorious 1985 in its beauty and profound abundance.

Score: -

Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 August 2013

Bright full ruby. Pure, perfumed aromas of blackberry, cassis, lead pencil, violet and minerals, complicated by a superripe note of crushed raspberry. Extremely primary and pure, offering sharply defined cassis, violet and mineral flavors of great class. The perfectly integrated acidity and a vibrant floral character from the cabernet franc give the middle palate terrific lift. Though very ripe in its flavor profile, this wine conveys a rare lightness of touch that is typical of Sassicaia but rare for this vintage on the Tuscan Coast. Finishes with noble tannins and outstanding palate-staining length. For all its creamy power and charm, I really like this wine's balance and the subtle delivery of its complex flavors. I have tasted every vintage of Sassicaia on countless occasions and, other than the legendary 1985, I have no doubt that this is one of the two or three best Sassicaias at a similar stage of development. Though the 2009 won't surpass the once-in-a-lifetime 1985, it is starting out its life in bottle with almost the same perfectly balanced, opulent creamy texture and depth of that incredible wine, which I remembertasting both in Rome and in Tuscanyimmediately upon release. In fact, that wine was so good that even thoughI was still auniversity student (and thus on a studentbudget), it was the firsttime in my lifeI ever bought a full case. If I were a university student today, I'd do the same with the 2009, even though the price of Sassicaia is far higher today. There's profound potential here, but younger wine writers and consumers who weren't seriously involved in tasting back in the '80s may well be surprised by this wine's voluptuous, atypically opulent texture and thus miss its sheer greatness. (97+ Points)

Score: 97

Ian D'Agata, Vinous.com 01 September 2012

Very dark blackish purple. Strongly herbal - veg rather than fruit initially! Very interesting - sweet and lush and mulberry-like. Exotic quality. Less classic. Mouton-ish? (Exotic.) Very sweet even on the finish.

Score: 18

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2013-2025 27 October 2010