The 1990 Sassicaia appears to be the finest wine made at this estate since the nearly perfect 1985. It boasts a saturated purple, almost bluish color, and a sensational yet unevolved and youthful aromatic profile of sweet, nearly over-ripe blackcurrants, cedar, tobacco, and toasty new oak. Full-bodied, with staggering concentration and extract levels, this tannic, super-pure, well-defined Cabernet possesses low enough acidity and sweet enough tannin to make it accessible to those readers unable to defer their gratification, but do not expect this wine to attain its plateau of maturity before the end of the century. It will last through the first decade of the 21st century.

A sexy wine that has gained somewhat since 1993 when we rated it 90 points. Not as powerful as the '88, nor as rich as the '85, this is still prototypical Sassicaia for its great complexity. Offers mineral, lead pencil, tar, cassis and black olive notes, solid backbone and firm, elegant finish.