Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido 1982

This is a forgotten vintage of Sassicaia from the 1980s with all the hype about the legendary 1985 - a perfect wine. It shows incredible depth of fruit and mineral character. It's full body and round textures with soft tannins. Drink now. Decant and serve.

Happily, the 1982 Sassicaia earns a much higher score compared to when I last reviewed the wine two years ago from what was surely a compromised bottle. This sample sings with energy and harmony. I'm adding it to my list of exciting underdog vintages that deserves a closer look. It is fresh and silky on the palate and leaves long sensation of dried fruit, tobacco, licorice, tar, dried ginger and tangy menthol. The wine shows medium build and what is does not deliver in muscle and concentration, it shows in finesse and delicate softness instead.

As has been the case with so many of these wines, the thing that is striking is the lightness and grace, this once again proves that you have to forget being in Tuscany and think about the specific location of Bolgheri. The colour intensity and depth of this 1982 is amazing, the freshness and the hold are both laudable. It still retains a juicy quality to the blackberry fruit at this age, and the tannic creep balanced by the acidity is impressive, my mouth is actually watering. What an achievement.