Super Tuscans

25 Aug 2013: Earlier this week, a group of us got together for a Super Tuscan evening.  We didn't really set the vintage parameters, but it was nice to see a showing of some older vintages, from 1988 and 1990. The staff at Messina Il Ristorante at The Harbourfront Landmark looked after us really well, from quality of food to the wine service.  I highly recommend the burrata cheese ravioli with Pachino tomatoess (perhaps better without the anchovies that were adorning the dish) as one of the starters and the crispy suckling pig, braised Castelluccio lentils and onion marmalade as main course.

As for the wines, we organised them into 3 flights, based on either grape varieties, producers or stylistic similarities.

Flight 1: 

Tignanello: 1995, 1997, 2003

Solaia: 1988, 1998

Flight 2:

Ornellaia: 1990

Sassicaia: 1998, 2002, 2005

Flight 3:

Galatrona: 2006, 2007

Masseto: 1993, 1998, 2007

I only managed to write a few brief notes on the wines, but there were a few key points that were established from this tasting:

1) 2002 Sassicaia was the biggest surprise of the evening.  It was still showing a deep ruby colour.  The nose revealed some vigourous notes of blackcurrant, cedar, tobacco, hint of tar and mineral character. While not opulent or powerful, there was good concentration and intensity of flavours coating the palate.  Nicely integrated tannin giving a silky texture, with good acidity.  Very elegant and classy, almost Saint Julien like?  There's no hurry to drink up this wine, given the energy, depth and complexity it's showing at the moment. Drink now and over next 6 - 8+ years. 17.5/20

2) Vintage 1998 was on cracking form now.  If we were to rank the 3 1998 wines here, we would probably all agree that they would  go like this (starting from the top performer): Masseto, Solaia and Sassicaia.  The Masseto was a total stunner. Voluptuous and lush on the palate. Layers and layers of rich flavours of plum, chocolate, black fruit preserve, with some gamey notes, kept coming back to seduce, the sensation intensifying with time in the glass.  The richness and fullness was matched with vibrant acidity, giving the wine a very fine balance and delineation. An utterly sensational expression of the Merlot grape from the soils of Tuscany!  Drink now and over next 10 - 12+ years.  19/20

The 1998 Solaia also showed a deep ruby colour.  Here the notes were dark fruit, liquorice, earthy with hints of mint.  Velvety texture, lovely balanced density.  A very classy showing.  Drink now and over next 8 - 10 years.  18/20

The 1998 Sassicaia seemed a little weak, compared to  the other 2.  Medium-bodied, and lacking in weight and substance on the mid palate.  Cedar and herbaceous notes dominate here.  Drink now and over next 5 - 6+ years. 16.5/20

3) The best of the Tignanellos was the 1997 Tignanello.  Deep garnet.  Bouquet of dark chocolate, cherry,  leather, smoke and some capsicum notes.  Velvety texture, still maintaining a nice firm structure, with impeccable balance.  A very commendable effort, that delivers harmony, elegance and finesse that is quite old worldly. A touch of astringency on the finish. Drink now and over next 5 - 6 years.  17.5/20

The 2003 Tignanello by comparison showed notes of liquorice, earthy, dusty, tobacco with some meaty notes.  There was just a whiff of grreen-ness.  Robust ripe tannin with firm acidity. Quite a meaty wine.  Enjoy now and over next 6 - 8 years.  17/20 

The 1995 Tignanello and 1988 Solaia had probably seen better days, based on these 2 bottles.

Then the rest of my impressions are:

The 1990 Ornellaia was very variable because it was poured from 3 different bottles, decanted individually. The best showing delivered a wine that had a mature bouquet of roasted herbs, cedar, leather and sweet tobacco notes, with a generous mouthfeel. An elegantly aged wine, now showing at its peak. There was no dryness at all on the finish.  18/20

The 2007 Galatrona kind of shut down in the glass, after about an hour.  It was nicely rich and concentrated but perhaps lacked the finesse, precision and minerality of the 2007 Masseto, which only went from strength to strength in the glass, while retaining a much more floral and restrained style than the flamboyant 1998.  I would give the Masseto 2007 score of 18.5/20 and the Galatrona 17.5/20.

The 2006  Galatrona showed gobs and gobs of very ripe fruit, layered with nuances of chocolate, plum and tobacco.  Full-bodied, very lush, but there was sufficient freshness to carry this weight forward and for a long time coming.  18/20

The 1993 Masseto was a little disappointing.  It showed notes of tea leaves and vegetal.  It seemed a little weak compared to the usual Masseto.  Drink now.  16.5/20

The 2005 Sassicaia was an understated effort....a nice bouquet of black fruit, roasted herbs, tar and smoke.  Drink now and over next 8 - 10+ years.  17.5/20  Perhaps it could turn out to be a nice surprise like 2002?

A most educational evening, thanks to everyone's generosity in sharing!