Dark ruby red. Blackberry, with lots of fresh herb and meat character. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and loads of fresh fruit and tarragon. Dill flavors on the finish. Textbook Sassicaia that grows in the mouth. Give it a little more time.--1997 Italian blind retrospective.

There are always surprises tasting wine ... good and bad ones. I had high hopes that 1997, a profound vintage, would produce the finest Sassicaia since the immortal 1985. A very good wine for sure, but much lighter and significantly less concentrated than anticipated, this dark ruby-colored Sassicaia exhibits moderate levels of ripeness, herbaceous black currant aromas and flavors, in addition to toasty new oak. Soft, with a surprisingly short, insubstantial finish, this wine looks to be on a rapid evolution track. Anticipated maturity: now-2012.