They have always been called Le Pupille, the pupils, those two farmhouses on the peak of two hills, turning their back to the medieval village Pereta. For long years there were no vineyards in the area, but cork oaks, wheat, mediterranean woods, the most classical scenery of a Maremma landscape of former days. In those times there was no recognized dignity of Maremma as a territory with great viticultural potentials and Morellino Di Scansano was a pleasant wine which surely did not aspire to compare itself with great Italian denominations. However, everything changed at Le Pupille thanks to the enthusiasm and intuition of Elisabetta Geppetti, a young student at the time, who had foreseen great productive potential in the countryside she loved, where she spent her summer holidays in her family’s house. Today Fattoria Le Pupille means 75 hectares of vineyards, over 500,000 bottles made every year, the presence in the markets of four continents and an undisputed role as Ambassador of Maremma.
2019 Saffredi le Pupille
99 JS / 97+ WA / 97 VM / 96 WS
$94.89/bottle (In Stock) Buy Now
So much crushed stone, rosemary, lavender, mint and blackberry. Full-bodied and very structured with layers of powerful and polished tannins. It goes on for minutes. Ink, blackcurrants and blueberries. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot and 5% petit verdot. Needs at least five or six years to open. Try after 2025.—James Suckling
My article on icon wines from Tuscany focuses primarily on releases from the 2018 vintage. Fattoria le Pupille releases its top wine, the 2019 Saffredi, earlier than the rest. This blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot is explosive. The percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon has been slightly increased in this vintage (and we can expect the same in the warm 2020 vintage that saw the percentage of Merlot further reduced). This 2019 expression boasts a very compact and powerful quality of fruit with deep intensity, thick layering and a velvety texture. This is a real beauty that should be put aside for a few more years of aging.—Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate
The 2019 Saffredi is one of the most elegant wines I’ve tasted here. It offers a beguiling mix of opulence in its fruit profile with a classic sense of structure that holds it all together. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, mocha, licorice, leather and cloves infuse the 2019 with notable darkness. I would give the 2019 a few years to soften as the tannins are pretty imposing today. –Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
A deep, polished red, whose black currant, blackberry, plum, violet and oak spice aromas and flavors mesh well with the dense structure, showing terrific length. Very focused and balanced, this needs a few years to integrate. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2037. 3,000 cases made, 1,400 cases imported. — BS, Wine Spectator
