Fattoria Le Pupille Fattoria Le Pupille Saffredi 2023 750ml

Impressive aromas of fresh herbs from the Tuscan coast, such as sage, mint, rosemary and thyme. Blackcurrants, too. Full-bodied with fine, chewy tannins that show beautiful length and consistency. Racy and beautiful, with lots of subtle and refined character. Slightly more cabernet sauvignon this year, which adds class to the wine. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot and 10% petit verdot. Give this about three or four years of bottle age. Try after 2027. (James Suckling)

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, the Fattoria Le Pupille 2023 Saffredi represents a classic expression from a fresh vintage that ultimately performed far better than expected despite mid-season mildew pressure. The estate continues to refine its use of wood to emphasize brightness and fruit purity, a shift that is especially evident here. The wine shows notes of dark cherry, ripe blackberry, spice and hints of creamy chocolate. While the 2022 vintage emphasized harder tannins, this vintage is defined by generosity and luscious fruit. The Cabernet Sauvignon in particular appears crunchy, youthful and fresh, giving the wine energy and forward momentum.

A racy and focused wine with aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries, fresh rosemary, sage, thyme and lavender. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a crunchy finish. Shows excellent length. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and petit verdot. Better in two or three years, but hard not to drink now.

The 2020 Saffredi is compelling. Deep yet quite structured, 2020 is unlike any Saffredi I can recall tasting because of its balance of intense dark fruit and vertical structure. Plum, blackberry, pencil shavings, lavender and spice saturate the palate. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2020 is not as showy as most vintages at the same stage.

This blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot is exuberant and explosive. The 2020 Saffredi reveals a very ripe and rich interpretation of this iconic wine made by Elisabetta Geppetti and her family. The blend of fruit is the same, but 2020 actually sees less oak intervention to allow that dark fruit to shine through. There is blackberry, perfumed rose, dried apricot, spice and sweet cinnamon. In all, the wine offers immediate fruit and a vertical delivery of flavors. Finding that combination of wine versus oak is not easy, Elisabetta tells me.

The 2023 Saffredi is an elegant, polished wine. Macerated cherry, mocha, dried herbs, menthol, licorice, blackberry and tobacco fill out the layers effortlessly. The 2023 is not quite as explosive as some recent vintages, but its overall approachability more than makes up for that. There's a bit more Merlot in this year's blend, the result of new plantings that have come online.

Well structured and linear, this red frames a core of black currant and black cherry fruit with accents of toasty oak, sweet spices, tobacco and iron. Refined and harmonious, with the stuffing to develop over the next decade. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2035. 3,750 cases made, 1,000 cases imported. (Bruce Sanderson)