Sassicaia is one of the most legendary and sought after Red wines Italians . An absolute champion and a champion of another category, born in the 1940s from the intuition of Mario Incisa della Rocchetta to create a wine with Bordeaux features in the Tuscan territory of Bolgheri. The stony soil - from which the name of the wine takes inspiration - proved to be a real success and an ideal cradle for cultivating international vines such as Cabernet. Sassicaia wine, an exclusive product of Tenuta San Guido , is a pillar of Italian oenology and one of the most important Super Tuscan in the world!
Sassicaia is one of the most legendary and sought after Red wines Italians . An absolute champion and a champion of another category, born in the 1940s from the intuition of Mario Incisa della Rocchetta to create a wine with Bordeaux features in the Tuscan territory of Bolgheri. The stony soil - from which the name of the wine takes inspiration - proved to be a real success and an ideal cradle for cultivating international vines such as Cabernet. Sassicaia wine, an exclusive product of Tenuta San Guido , is a pillar of Italian oenology and one of the most important Super Tuscan in the world!
Bolgheri Sassicaia , commonly known by the name of Sassicaia, is a DOC red wine made in the Castagneto Carducci area , in the province of Livorno, from at least 80% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Considered as one of the points of reference for Italian wine, it is made exclusively and solely by Tenuta San Guido, which owns all the territories of the relevant DOC.
Tenuta San Guido Bolgheri became the property of the Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta through his marriage to Clarice della Gherardesca in 1940. A few years later, in 1944, the history of Sassicaia began according to a brilliant intuition of the Marquis, who, inspired by the great and aristocratic Bordeaux wines, purchased and imported some Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc cuttings to plant them in the Tuscan Maremma land. The land chosen by Mario Incisa della Rocchetta had very particular characteristics that seemed to recall Graves , one of the most famous names of Bordeaux. The large presence of gravel and stones gave the wine its name Sassicaia, which translated means "place of many stones". The plot extended over 30 hectares and within a short time it reached 36 hectares with the addition of a small parcel.
The true origin of Sassicaia dates back to 1968, the year of the first commercialized bottle of Sassicaia . This became the new paradigm of Italian wine. through a production that marked the history of Italian enology and the production standard of the following years. The success of Tuscan Cabernet spread throughout the world and many other producers followed the model of Tenuta San Guido.
In some blind tastings in 1978 in London organized by Hugh Johnson, Sassicaia surprisingly positioned itself as the best Cabernet in the world . A record that consecrated the success of Bolgheri Rosso Sassicaia. In 2013 this famous wine broke away from the Bolgheri DOC and became an autonomous DOC.
Today Sassicaia is the flagship of Italian production and has become a wine legend throughout the world. It is part of the famous Supertuscans , a term coined by Robert Parker to identify the great Tuscan red wines for aging based on international vines, and the old vintages are among the most sought after by critics and enthusiasts.
Sassicaia is a Tuscan wine with an international scope , made from Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes grown in the Livorno Maremma area. The vines are over 30 years old and rest on soil rich in stones and marl located at 100-300 meters above sea level. The particularly suitable terroir, the precious temperature variations and the optimal exposure guarantee perfect ripening of the grapes.
The bunches have low yield and are harvested when fully ripe. The production method of Sassicaia is supervised by the oenologist Giacomo Tachis and involves vinification in steel, with alcoholic fermentation at a controlled temperature with native yeasts, complete malolactic fermentation and maceration on the skins for 9-12 days. Following the French Bordeaux model, the aging takes place in French oak barriques for approximately two years.
The technical data sheet of the best Sassicaia includes a ruby red color that turns towards garnet for older vintages. The nose fascinates and strikes with the complexity and intensity of aromas. A fruity incipit of cherry, currant, blackberry and raspberry, continues on spicy and herbaceous notes, ending on more evolved sensations of toasting, cinnamon, nutmeg and tobacco. On the palate it is decidedly balanced and melodic, with a calibrated symphony obtained from the masterly contrast of freshness, tannins, softness and body. Sassicaia wine has a deep, elegant texture with a thousand nuances , with a very long and persistent finish. A bottle capable of evolving over time and giving unique and unrepeatable emotions.
Like any wine, there are great and historic Sassicaia vintages that have marked the path and success of the wine. 1978, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1997 and 2004 were chosen as the best Sassicaia vintages and are the most sought after by critics and collectors. They represent a real cultural heritage with prices that can reach hundreds of euros. The recent Sassicaia 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 have received the best awards from critics and are bottles that are difficult to find and sought after all over the world.