FATTORIA LE PUPILLE Saffredi - Maremma, Toscana 2023 Bottle

Description

IN BRIEF
Fattoria Le Pupille Saffredi Maremma Toscana 2023 is a focused, powerful Super Tuscan marrying ripe Mediterranean fruit with taut structure and savoury depth. Deep ruby with a clear core, it opens with black cherry, plum and dark berry compote lifted by violet and a faint potpourri note; airing reveals olive tapenade, cured meat and dried herb with discreet cedar, clove and warm spice from oak. Full bodied with a dense, generous mid palate and finely grained tannins, ripe dark fruit is kept lively by bright acidity and a saline mineral seam; graphite, black olive and a hint of soy reduction provide savoury complexity and a long, refined finish. Approachable with decanting but built to age. Drink 2028 to 2040. Critics: Wine Advocate 98 "Generous and luscious"; James Suckling 97 "Racy and focused."

ABOUT THIS WINE
Fattoria Le Pupille Saffredi Maremma Toscana 2023 is a focused and powerful Super Tuscan that blends ripe Mediterranean fruit with taut structure and savoury depth. The colour is deep ruby with a clear core. The nose opens with ripe black cherry, plum and dark berry compote, lifted by violet and a hint of potpourri. With airing the bouquet reveals savoury layers of olive tapenade, cured meat and dried herb, while discreet oak offers cedar, clove and a warm spice note that frames rather than dominates the fruit.

On the palate the wine is full bodied with a dense, generous mid palate and finely grained tannins that give substantial backbone. Primary dark fruit is ripe and concentrated yet kept lively by a bright seam of acidity and a saline mineral thread that adds drive and lift. Mid palate complexity unfolds into graphite, black olive and a touch of soy reduction, with a faint balsamic lift that enhances the savoury finish. The oak is well judged, providing spice and a subtle vanilla warmth that integrates with the fruit and supports long term ageing.

The 2023 vintage in Tuscany tended to be warm with moments of cooling that preserved aromatic clarity; at Saffredi this produced concentrated flavours with ripe tannins yet retained freshness and precision. The result is a wine that offers immediate intensity but clearly benefits from cellaring to allow tertiary layers to emerge.

Approachable now with decanting, the 2023 will reward medium to long term ageing as tertiary notes of leather, truffle and cedar knit with the fruit. Drink 2028 to 2040, peaking 2030 to 2036. Serve with roasted or grilled red meats, braised beef, venison with juniper, mushroom and truffle dishes, or mature hard cheeses to match the wine’s density, savoury complexity and refined structure.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 98 points
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
Drink Date: 2027 - 2048
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.

JAMES SUCKLING 97 points
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.
James Suckling, Senior Editor

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ABOUT FATTORIA LE PUPILLE
Fattoria Le Pupille is a spirited Maremma estate that brought Morellino di Scansano from local curiosity to international conversation. The property was transformed from a modest family holding into a bold modern operation by Elisabetta Geppetti, who since the mid 1980s has led the estate with a mix of ambition and practicality. Today the business remains family centred: Elisabetta is supported by her children, Clara Gentili and Ettore Arturo Rizzi, who share responsibility for commercial strategy, vineyard care and cellar decisions.

Vineyards sit on warm, sunlit slopes at roughly 300 to 350 metres above sea level on predominantly sandy and arenaceous soils that give the wines a swaggering ripeness balanced by coastal freshness. The estate controls substantial acreage, with around eighty hectares under vine planted to Sangiovese, Alicante, Ciliegiolo and a selection of international varieties. Low yields, rigorous canopy work and selective hand picking are standard practice so that each parcel can deliver personality rather than volume.

Winemaking today is a family affair with Ettore Arturo Rizzi prominent in technical oversight. He works alongside the in house team to blend traditional Tuscan instincts with precise modern control. The cellar approach varies by cuvée: Morellino bottlings favour bright fruit and immediate charm, while top IGT wines such as Saffredi are treated with extended maceration and patient élevage to coax power, tannic grip and layered complexity. The team aims for gentle extraction and aromatic lift rather than brute force, so the wines feel generous yet tuned.

The range moves effortlessly from everyday food friendly reds to cult IGT bottlings and single vineyard cuvées. Saffredi sits at the playful apex: dense, plush and undeniably modern, yet grounded in a sense of place. Lighter cuvées show ripe cherry, wild herb and saline lift, making them superb with coastal cuisine, grilled meats and rustic Tuscan fare.

Le Pupille’s charm lies in its blend of family heart and experimental spirit. The Geppetti family remain adventurous, commissioning small trials, exploring parcel selection and refining blends, all while keeping the wines approachable and expressive. The result is a Maremma house that is as ready for a convivial table as it is for serious cellaring.