Le Pupille Maremma Toscana Saffredi 2018

98 points Falstaff Guide: "Shiny, rich ruby with a slight purple shimmer. Very expressive, profound and multilayered nose opening with notes of tobacco and damp earth, then dominated by cassis with some mint in the background. Very powerful on the palate with a lot of sweet texture, dark berry fruit and some liquorice on the long finish. (8/27/21)"

97 points James Suckling: "A fantastic nose to this with currant, sage, rosemary and rose-petal character. Sweet tobacco and spicy chocolate, too. Very complex. The palate shows lovely depth of fruit with blackberries, blackcurrants and fine tannins. It’s racy and refined with a direct, focused palate. Just a baby. A blend of cabernet sauvignon 60%, merlot 32% and petite verdot 8%. This needs at least two or three years to soften. Try in 2023. (7/28/20)"

96+ points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "[$100 list] The 2018 Saffredi is a regal, elegant, supremely polished wine. It may very well be the most refined Saffredi I have ever tasted. Silky in its first impression, with striking aromatic presence and exceptional balance, the 2018 is a total knock-out. Sweet red cherry, plum, mocha, licorice and cinnamon accents develop over time, but it is the wine’s overall balance and poise that are so impressive today. The 2018 is an absolutely gorgeous Saffredi. It spent 20 months in French oak barrels, about 65% new. Don’t miss it. Drink: 2023-2038. (Jan 2021)"

96 points Monica Larner (Wine Advocate): "The Fattoria le Pupille 2018 Saffredi borrows quite a bit from all of the grapes that make up the blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot). These balanced results open to a round bouquet of dark fruit, black cherry and plum. As the wine warms in the glass, it shows spice, cured tobacco and campfire embers. This is a full-bodied expression, but not excessively so. It puts forth immediate elegance with carefully measured tannins and a fitting postscript of fresh acidity. This newest vintage of Saffredi should be hitting the market now, but if you buy it, you should plan on cellaring it. Drink: 2021-2040. (Nov 2020)"