Belated notes on a vertical I attended with Dani, at Il Caratello on September 2nd, 2006. Presented by Elisabetta Geppetti herself.
Saffredi was an invention by Elisabetta Geppetti and her winemaker Giacomo Tachis. It is made, since 1987, from 4 hectares of vines at an altitude of 280 meters above sea level. Density of vines 4000 per hectare.
Too bad the 1997 was not included, I have never tasted it.
Le Pupille Saffredi 1985
100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 12 months in foudre, no barrique. 13% alcohol. 1’000 bottles made, but never marketed. “An experiment” is what Elisabetta Gepetti called this. Mature but full garnet-ruby-black, a little orange at the rim. Reductive (this was double-decanted), cheesy-oaky nose, stale lemon. Little fruit left, not too bitter or oaky, some autumnal forest floor and tree bark, some stale black tea, medium body, medium-short on the finish. Still drinking well enough. Rating: 85-
Le Pupille Saffredi 1987
100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 15 months in foudre and barrique. 13% alcohol. 3’500 bottles made. First vintage to be marketed (no 1986 was made). “Hot and dry year, late harvest” is what Elisabetta Gepetti said. Deeper colour to the rim (more density of colouring material), slight watery-orange rim. An autumnal leaf top note, lemony cherry, a bit roasted fruit of medium-plus complexity, soft tobacco, a bit rustic though not tough or unattractive, warming alcohol, slightly dry finish of medium length. A bit tired and medicinal upon retasting. Rating: 85-
Le Pupille Saffredi 1990
100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 18 months in barrique, 30% of which new. 13.3% alcohol. 5’500 bottles made. “Earlier harvest since sugar/potential alcohol readings went up early, slightly more cooked fruit” is what Elisabetta Gepetti said. Similar colour, a bit fresher. Forest floor and fresh cork, both fresher, precise, wine with good cut and precision, some maize, tobacco with just the faintest ash note, nice nutty oak, a bit jammier cherry, more impressive complexity and depth, much longer, tasty, nice aftertaste. Well-structured. A nicely if fully mature wine. Rating: 91-/90
Le Pupille Saffredi 1993
A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 5% Alicante, aged 16 months in barrique, 30% of which new. 13.2% alcohol. 7’500 bottles made. Each grape variety was vinified separately, in steel tank from carbonic maceration to malolactic fermentation, then the different parts were assembled and transferred into barrique. Alicante was imported from Spain in the 13th century, Elisabetta Gepetti explained. Quite full ruby-black, lighter towards the rim. Almost a bit cedary graphite-like top note. Fresher and racier black cherry and morello. Subtle tobacco smoke, some dried flowers. Well-integrated oak. Lively, citrusy acidity. Fairly long. Somewhat less fat on its bones, at this stage impressive enough for the vintage, but drier – it seems likely that this may dry out in time and taste of stale lemon with bottle age, too. I would drink this on the early side (that is, soon) if I owned any. Rating: 89-
Le Pupille Saffredi 1995
A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Alicante, aged 18 months in barrique, 35% of which new. 13.8% alcohol. 15’000 bottles made. The last vintage of Saffredi to be vinified by Giacomo Tachis. “Sometimes rainy year, but a hot and dry September” is what Elisabetta Gepetti said. A bit blacker colour than the 1993’s. The nose suggests a wine of heterogeneous ripeness. Syrupy Port-like nose, chewing gum-like roasted-raisiny cherry. Musky animality, faint mulled wine spice. A bit Spanish in character, not easy to tell why. The tannin quality is not bad for a 1995. Good body, fair enough power and length. Some pink marzipan and roasted pistacchio on the aftertaste. Rating: 87
Le Pupille Saffredi 1998
A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 15% Alicante, aged 12 months in barrique, 45% of which new. 13.5% alcohol. 20’000 bottles made. Vinified by Riccardo Cottorella, and indeed, Elisabetta Gepetti finds this “Parker-styled” (of the three vintages Cottorella vinified – 1997, 1998 and 1999 – Gepetti prefers the 1998). Full ruby-black, a bit lighter/more watery at the rim. Concentrated but not as harmonious and or refreshing (let alone lively) as the best. Interesting forest berry subtlety of less than optimal freshness. Clean oak. Tannin that is just faintly saline, at this stage still to the wine’s advantage, as it gives the wine some semblance of solidity. A bit rustic, tarry and dry, as well as rather short on the finish. All in all, a typical Cottorella effort (they are all so similar, it is hard to believe), more of a “made”, gastronomic style compared to the others. Rating: 86
Le Pupille Saffredi 2000
A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 15% Alicante, aged 15 months in barrique, 50% of which new. 14% alcohol. 20’000 bottles made. Made by Yquem and Latour ex-winemaker and Lafite consultant Christian Le Sommer. “Hot, a bit cooked vintage” is what Elisabetta Gepetti said. Touch lighter ruby, lightly black hue, verging on orange at the rim. More equilibrium and “French” elegance indeed. Stylish, quite fresh, has cut. Cherry preserved in spirit, but not alcoholic at all, no more than medium body. Nice herbs, more finesse, long finish. No heaviness or artificiality. Like the firm, finely-grained tannin (for the vintage), and the soft steel note. Pretty for the vintage, but also lighter than average. Rating consistent with the one I attributed at release. Rating: 88
Le Pupille Saffredi 2001
A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 10% Alicante, aged 15 months in barrique, 70% of which new. 13.5% alcohol. 23’000 bottles made. “Not much of a spring freeze at all in the Saffredi vineyard, only the Morellino suffered” is what Elisabetta Gepetti said. Deep ruby-black. Smelled almost more like a young Latour than the 2001 Latour I had tasted not long before – for a split-second anyhow: partly dried, unevolved and smoky-minerally blackcurrant with faintly eucalyptus-scented leafiness. A touch of chewing gum-like cherry and that suggestion of fresh licorice stick juice greenishness that should keep the wine from oxidizing prematurely. Impressive structure, tannin that is finely-grained enough, firm and palate-drenching. The 2001 was still (too) high in alcohol from the perspective of Christian Le Sommer, who Elisabetta Gepetti explained is looking for a more elegant Bordeaux-like balance. Rating: 89+?
Le Pupille Saffredi 2002
A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 10% Alicante, aged 16 months in barrique, 75% of which new. 13.5% alcohol. 21’000 bottles made. “Damned by wine critics” is what Elisabetta Gepetti said. Deep ruby-black, a touch of purple, slightly watery rim. Complex fruit notes, a bit jammy and perhaps imprecise, but a dense, thick, nicely smoky wine, with a fine mouthfeel, there is nothing “off-vintage” about this at all. A bit candied on the finish, medium-plus length. The tannin tastes a bit New Worldish. The Merlot and Alicante that were picked earlier seem to give this wine its character, it seems to be the Cabernet Sauvignon that makes this taste typical of the vintage in the negative sense. Could be fresher and livelier, but it is still an impressive success for the vintage, quite a thick wash of a wine. Rating: 87+/~88?
Le Pupille Saffredi 2003
A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 10% Alicante, aged 18 months in barrique, 80% of which new. 14% alcohol. 20’000 bottles made. “Hot not only during the days, but also at night. A little rain in September saved the fruit”, Elisabetta Gepetti said. Almost opaque at the ruby-black, slight ruby-red rim. Smells Port-like with dark chocolate, mint, denser, firmer, more powerful and alcoholic, but almost less cooked than the (after all quite successful) 2000. Well-concentrated. A touch of blackcurrant liqueur heat on the back end. Fresh enough for a 2003, if exotic and really a bit extreme. Must admit it suits the southern style, though. Rating: 90-?
Greetings from Switzerland, David.