Sassicaia 2006 - ​Tenuta San Guido
This classic Italian gem was less expressive than I would have hoped for
May 9, 2017

This red had a hint of musty fruit and some smokey aromas but was not initially expressive even though it had been decanted for 45 minutes prior to serving.  It had a dark appearance, which is characteristic for such a concentrated wine. Initially the wine exhibited  a great deal of tannin on the front pallet and was very tight.  Moreover, after an additional hour the wine was still not as expressive as I expected it to be, but it did develop the classic jammy fruit for which Sassicaia is well known.  The wine is certainly well structured but seems to be displaying more qualities characteristic of Merlot, even though it was 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc.  Some of the complex elements associated with Cabernet Sauvignon seemed to be missing or were less expressive at this stage of the wine’s development.  Additionally, the hints of sweetness typically associated with Cabernet Franc were not present.  The wine was very well balanced but on the next occasion that I drink this particular vintage I will not decant, but instead let the wine develop over the course of the meal so as to get a better sense of how it behaves over time.  I certainly have had older vintages of Sassicaia that were more expressive and complex but that is part of the joy and sometimes the disappointment of collecting and drinking wine.  Time will tell how the next vintage will express itself, but I still believe that Sassicaia is one of the best cultivated wines in Italy for its price.  Rating CW90+.​

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