Medium saturated ruby. Cool aromas of cassis, dark chocolate and mocha. Then sweet and bright in the mouth, with intense, peppery berry flavors complicated by leather and minerals. A distinctly stony, gripping style of wine that finishes a tad short and green. Currently less expressive and less generous than the best vintages, but keep in mind that reputedly off vintages such as the '89 and the '92 are splendid now. Ian D'Agata

The 2002 vintage was considered one of the worst vintages ever to produce grapes. It was so rainy and wet that many producers decided not to produce wine in Bolgheri. Giacomo Tachis, Tenuta San Guido’s famous winemaker, was very concerned at the time about releasing this wine, but Marchese Nicolò Incisa Della Rocchetta believed in it. The 2002 still looks youthful and shows a good concentration and intensity of flavours. The fruit expression is cool, dark berried fruit with forest floor notes that call to mind the dark woods surrounding the original Castiglioncello vineyard. A strict selection took place and only 90,000 bottles were produced that year, whereas normally a typical production is between 200,000 to 240,000 bottles. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2028
Tasted by: Susan Hulme MW (at Landmark Hotel, London, 05 Nov 2022)
Part of Sassicaia masterclass at Decanter's London Fine Wine Encounter 2022

(80% cabernet sauvignon and 20% cabernet franc): Medium saturated ruby-red. Fresh aromas of blackcurrant, graphite, herbs and mocha. Intense flavors of minty blackberry and cedar, complicated by leather and minerals and a hint of tomato paste. This has filled out considerably with time in bottle and now shows less of the green edges that were apparent a few years ago. Another very good example of how lesser vintages of Sassicaia improve markedly with time; I probably underrated this wine in my initial evaluation. Though 2002 was a horrific, rain-plagued vintage, insiders know that it rained less in Bolgheri than in other parts of Tuscany, and to Incisa della Rocchetta?s credit, a whopping 40% of the final wine was declassified, so there?s less Sassicaia to go around from this vintage. (Ian D'Agata)

Oddly enough, this is the first official review of the 2002 Bolgheri Sassicaia in Robert Parker Wine Advocate. Presumably, the wine was overlooked due to the infamy of this widely condemned vintage. However, all is not lost. The wine offers a rather subtle bouquet of dried fruit, autumnal leaf, forest floor, button mushroom, tar and balsam herb. The effect is flat and one dimensional. And, the finish lacks freshness and vigor. What's the upside you ask? The wine seems to have taken on a life of its own. At a plateau now, I don't think it will change much in the coming years. It's a weaker expression of Sassicaia for sure, but Sassicaia it is nonetheless. ML

This vintage got pretty bad press in the US at the time of release (though a good review from Jancis) because the conditions were damp and cold but it has fared better than some predicted even if I would suggest it needs drinking soon, especially if not in magnum. Deep garnet with some brick at the rim. Lots of forest floor, mushrooms, nutty and super-complex but no longer any primary fruit. A little bit of coffee. Very mature on the palate with a definite Marmite (yeast extract) flavour and yet still a fruit sweetness. Rounded but still keeps its shape. Cool and fresh on the finish. Needs drinking fairly soon but not falling over. Some olive savoury notes and rounded finish. Julia Harding MW