Podere Sapaio Awards
92 -SAPAIO 2007
There's loads of currant and spices on the nose and palate, with fresh herbs. Full and velvety, with toasty oak and refined tannins. Needs to come together. Best after 2011. 2,500 cases made. –JS
92 - SAPAIO 2008
Thick and concentrated, this extracted red exudes blackberry, plum, oak spice and tobacco flavors, all backed by excessive force, with a long aftertaste of black currant and bilberry. Needs time to tame the aggressive tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2015 through 2024. 2,500 cases made. –BS
94 - SAPAIO 2009
An intense, powerful red, offering effusive aromas and flavors of black cherry, black currant, vanilla and toasted oak, with tobacco and leather elements emerging as this unfolds on the palate. Firmly structured and long, this gains elegance and grace on the long aftertaste. Best from 2015 through 2024. 1,700 cases made. –BS
94 - SAPAIO TOSCANA IGT 2016
Bright, bursting with aromas and flavors of black cherry, black currant, iron and pencil shavings, this is athletic and focused, featuring compact, dusty tannins and a long, detailed finish. Displays Cabernet character combined with the tension and vibrancy of the 2016 vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2035. 30,000 cases made, 300 cases imported. — BS
92 - VOLPOLO 2009
Intense yet restrained, in the manner of a top Bordeaux, this red evokes black currant, cherry, cedar, coffee and tobacco aromas and flavors. Harmonious, with a finish of fruit and spice. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2014 through 2022. 4,200 cases made. –BS
92 - VOLPOLO 2010
Offers a well of black cherry, black currant and plum fruit, suffused with accents of sandalwood and baking spices. Balanced and light-footed, with a long aftertaste of fruit and spice. A modern, harmonious style. Drink now through 2020. 6,700 cases made. –BS
93 - VOLPOLO 2011
Restrained, exciting black currant, cherry, cedar and sage aromas, picking up liquorice, spice and mineral flavours. Concentrated and focused, with a beam of acidity and an iron accent on the finish. Best 2016 trough 2014 - B.S.
93 - VOLPOLO 2012
An enticing combination of black currant, black cherry, violet, cedar and cigar box flavors highlight this intense, structured red, which needs some time to resolve the tannins, but this shows ample fruit and balance. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2018 through 2033. 7,500 cases made. –BS
92 - VOLPOLO 2015
Lush and dark, with a well of black currant, blackberry, cedar, spice and graphite flavors. Dense, ripe tannins provide support. This remains fresh and long through the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2019 through 2030. 8,500 cases made.
92 - VOLPOLO 2016
The black cherry and black currant flavors are accented by graphite and tobacco notes, beautifully displayed on the lush texture and backed by a well-integrated structure. Shows terrific balance, complexity and length. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Best from 2020 through 2033. 7,000 cases made.
94 - SAPAIO 2008
Beautiful nose of ripe plums and sweet tobacco, follow through to a full body, with velvety tannins and a ripe finish. Extremely balanced and complex. Best after 2012.
94 - SAPAIO 2009
Chili powder, dark fruits and flowers on the nose. Full body, with chewy tannins that are polished and caressing. Very beautiful. Bordeaux blend. Needs two or three years to soften.
95 - SAPAIO 2010
Aromas of blueberries and currants. Very bright and pretty. Full body with lovely tannins, a fine texture and a fresh finish. Pretty and refined. Best ever from here. A blend of 70 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 10 per cent cabernet franc and 10 per cent petit verdot. Better in 2015.
94 - SAPAIO 2012
- Very refined and silky texture with currant, shaved chocolate and light hazelnut character. Medium body, integrated tannins and long finish. Better in 2017.
94 - SAPAIO 2013
Lovely lavender and mineral character to this red with medium body, velvety tannins and a juicy finish. Extremely refined. Sage undertones to it as well. Drink or hold.
96 - SAPAIO TOSCANA IGT 2015 96
- So much fresh pressed violet and blackberry character as well as iodine, quartz, slate and tile. Full body, grippy yet linear and polished tannins, fine acidity and a long, minerally finish. So refined. Drink in 2020.
97 - SAPAIO TOSCANA IGT 2016
- This shows fantastic depth and intensity. Full-bodied, very balanced and beautiful. A rich and powerful wine. Watch this. Better than the 2015. A blend of cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot.
93 -VOLPOLO 2014
- Very fine and beautiful with very silky tannins that are fine-grained. Medium to full body, currant, berry and floral flavors. Extremely polished and pretty. Better in 2019 but so attractive now.
93 -VOLPOLO 2015
- Fresh Blackcurrant character as well as minerals, jasmine and eucalyptus. Full-bodied with grippy tannins and a juicy, driven finish. Drink in 2020.
94 - VOLPOLO 2016
- A very fresh and enticing nose of bright blueberries, newly picked blackcurrants, citrus, crushed stones, pressed violets, dried sage, ash and cedar. Full-bodied and ever so tight with firm, polished tannins punctuated by vibrant acidity. Long and taut on the finish. Drink in 2020.
93 - SAPAIO 2012
I was really quite taken by the 2012 Bolgheri Superiore Sapaio. The wine is soft and well integrated with round berry and cherry nuances that permeate its thick, creamy texture. Podere Sapaio has done a great job with this vintage. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Petit Verdot and 10% Cabernet Franc aged in oak for 18 months.
93 - SAPAIO 2013
The 2013 Bolgheri Superiore Sapaio is a rich and penetrating wine with a long sense of silky persistence. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Petit Verdot and 10% Cabernet Franc aged in oak for 18 months. Some 20,000 bottles are produced. Initially, the wine feels crisp and delineated. Make no mistake, the power and the brawn creep up on you slowly with firm tannins and black fruit intensity at the back.
95 - SAPAIO TOSCANA IGT 2016
The 2016 Sapaio shows abundant dark chocolate and spice all balanced out by the rich sweetness of the fruit. Blackberry, plum and dark currant emerge from the bouquet. The harvest required that much of the fruit for this wine come from vineyards in Bibbona (outside the Bolgheri appellation), and that's why this wine is classified as a Toscana IGT. The results are well-balanced, fragrant and absolutely seamless. Some 20,000 bottles were made.
91 - VOLPOLO 2015
Here's a dark and beautifully rich value wine from the coast of Tuscany. The 2015 Bolgheri Rosso Volpolo is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller parts Merlot and Petit Verdot. This is a terrific offering with black fruit, sassy spice and many layers of thick and luscious darkness. All that ripe fruit is nicely walled in by the wine's natural structure. I recommend buying this great value wine by the case, not by the bottle.
93 - VOLPOLO 2016
This blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 15% Petit Verdot is a very lively Tuscan red with great intensity, precision and long-lasting flavors. The 2016 Bolgheri Rosso Volpolo is balanced and bright, with notes of blackberry, black olive, sweet spice and cigar box. The wine ages in barrique for 14 months. There is some astringency at this early stage, but the wine should smooth out nicely. Some 90,000 bottles were produced.
The ever-generous Massimo Piccin surprised me with a full vertical of his two wines, Volpolo and Sapaio, that he has been making since 2004 with the assistance of winemakers Carlo Ferrini and Alessandro Nannelli. Although these two wines have seen changes to their appellation status and the grapes used in the blend over the years, they are today: the lower-end Volpolo (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot) and the top-shelf Sapaio (Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc). This estate counts 16 hectares of vines in Bolgheri, with a mix of limestone clay and sandy soils located just a few meters above sea level. The estate also farms nine hectares in the neighboring Bibbona province (that is outside the Bolgheri appellation lines).
94 - SAPAIO 2007
This is a lovely, rich wine with mature red berry tones followed by sharp mineral definition and bright aromas of fresh Indian spice. The wine is dense and decadent and could stand up to beef tenderloin with balsamic reduction
94 - SAPAIO 2008
This inky wine opens with black concentration and rich aromas of mature cherry, almond paste, spice, blackberry and plum. Integrated wood tones of leather and toasted coffee complete the picture and help render soft but structured tannins. Drink after 2015.
94 - SAPAIO 2009
A concentrated blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this opens with dark spice and chocolate notes, followed by luscious blackberry, prune and plum tones. Smooth and extracted, this offers velvety tannins and generous fruit flavors. It is packed with all kinds of opulent pleasure
91 - SAPAIO 2010
Dense and savory, this blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Petit Verdot and 10% Cabernet Franc opens with aromas of blue flower, mature plum, subtle oak and vanilla. The concentrated palate features ripe black cherry, red currant, bell pepper, black pepper and mocha alongside toasted oak and assertive, drying tannins.
92 - VOLPOLO 2009
Here’s a knockout blend from coastal Tuscany (with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot) that opens with inky, dark concentration and lavish aromas of chocolate, black cherry, rum cake and Indian spice. It’s soft, plush and extra rich
90 - VOLPOLO 2010
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, this delivers soft, concentrated flavors of chocolate fudge, cherry and cinnamon spice. It’s an irresistible, opulent wine that promises to impress.