2020 Fattoria le Pupille Saffredi Maremma Toscana Rosso IGT, Tuscany

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.

98 points jamessuckling.com

Fattoria Le Pupille Saffredi Maremma Toscana Rosso IGT is one of Tuscany’s great modern icons — a bold, expressive red that helped put the Maremma region on the world wine map. First produced in 1987 by Elisabetta Geppetti as a tribute to her mentor and father-in-law Fredi, Saffredi blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot in a style that marries Bordeaux-inspired power with Mediterranean warmth and Tuscan soul. It’s rich, polished and deeply layered, yet always precise and age-worthy.

The fruit is sourced from hillside vineyards near Pereta, not far from the coast, where warm days and cool nights help preserve structure and aromatics. Fermentation is in stainless steel with a focus on gentle extraction, followed by maturation for 18 months in French oak barriques, most of them new. The result is a wine that offers intensity and plushness with balance and poise.

In the glass, Saffredi opens with aromas of blackberry, cassis, plum, violet, sweet spice and cedar, with hints of tobacco and cocoa. The palate is full bodied and silky, with dense black fruit, firm tannins and a long finish marked by savoury herbs and graphite. It’s powerful, but beautifully composed — built to impress without overwhelming.

Food pairing: best with bistecca alla fiorentina, roast lamb with rosemary and garlic, beef short ribs, or mushroom and truffle pasta. Also pairs well with aged pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano.

Cellar potential: superb now with decanting, but will age 15 to 25 years, evolving more tobacco, leather and mineral depth.