Fattoria Le Pupille Saffredi Maremma 2004

Date of Tasting: 24 March 2014

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Alicante

Alcohol: 14.0%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica)

Expect to Pay: ~ THB4,000

Web: http://www.fattorialepupille.it/
Chubby Score: 94/100
Value for money: 8/10
Professional Rating: WA - 96/100, AG - 96/100, WS - 97/100, WE - 95/100, JR - 18.5/20, CT - 94/100

Appearance: crimson red

Aroma: redcurrants in the aroma pool of spices, vanilla, and rose

Palate: meaty body of a big guy, strong and powerful. fine sweet and noticeable tannins. earth, tobacco, oak, and leather also present. elegant Super Tuscan. ripe red cherry and plum on the main palate. 

This is a beautiful wine. It possesses the power of cabernet sauvignon as well as the aroma of merlot. The sophisticated but yet subtle tannins are lively and dazzling. It is pretty much enjoyable but I suspect that a few more years of cellaring should do it a good job as grains of tannins are still there. It should live wonderfully for at least a decade to go. I shall return to this Saffredi next year to see how it develops.

Tenuta Sette Ponti Poggio al Lupo Maremma 2009

Date of Tasting: 3 August 2013

Wine Type: Red

Grape Varieties: blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (~75%), Alicante (~20%), Petit Verdot (~5%)

Alcohol: 13.5%

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Appellation: IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica)

Expect to Pay: ~ THB1,200 - THB2,000

Web: http://www.tenutasetteponti.it/
Chubby Score: 89/100
Value for money: 5/10
Professional Rating: WS - 89/100

Appearance: opaque red/violet

Aroma: tea, cedar, dark berries, and phenol

Palate: ripe dark fruit such as cherry and plum with spices and herbs notes, mocha and espresso to the background, big, dark, and dense with firm tannins, very dry, full body

This is a big guy that is still shy. I would guess that this lad needs to rest for a few more years before showing the potential for a decade. Need to wait for tannins to integrate and fruit flavour to shine. If you do not like something really big, this is perhaps not the one for you. It will sure need something right to along side such as steak, roasted red meat, and rich flavour cheese.