This pours medium ruby with light bricking. The nose is expressive and concentrated, showing plum, raisin, tobacco, rosemary, old leather, dirty hat, and dry dusty soil. The palate is lush and deeply fruited replaying much of the plum, accented with dark cherry and rosemary. There is little reminding tannin and medium acid with a light bitter astringency. Just a touch of rum soaked raisin on the finish. Quite a nice bottle here.

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The 1997 vintage was universally hailed as a true breakout year for icon wines from Tuscany. In fact, it spurred a quality revolution for Italian wine in general. Sadly, the 1997 Bolgheri Sassicaia does not live up to the hype. This is an offbeat effort with an intense sense of dryness and dustiness that ultimately diminishes the wine's pleasure factor. What little fiber there is to grab onto comes as quickly as it leaves. The effect is short and sudden. In all, this wine exhibits an advanced state of evolution. The fruit that may have still existed ten years ago is now replaced by a hollow dry oak tannin instead.

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