One of the best run estates of Tuscany, proprietor Elisabetta Geppetti, along with winemaker/oenologist Riccardo Cotarella, has turned out a juicy, impressively concentrated, hedonistic wine. The 1997 Saffredi is made from a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, with a touch of Alicante, it was aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak. It boasts an exquisite toasty, smoky, cassis, floral, and licorice-scented nose that is reminiscent of a hypothetical blend of Chateaux Mouton-Rothschild and Margaux. With fabulous richness, multiple dimensions, and outstanding symmetry, purity, and length, it is a compelling example of what can be achieved from tiny yields (2.2 tons of fruit per acre) as well as impeccable wine-making. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2020. A Leonardo Locascio Selection, Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620