The Bordeaux Origins Between Areas and Traditions

The viticulture that gives rise to Supertuscan wine, a fine expression of intensity and aromatic variety, has its roots in the enological traditions of Bordeaux, a city in south-western France on the Atlantic Ocean side. Here, the production of great red wines suitable for long ageing has been customary for more than three centuries, ever since Bordeaux-style wines began to be appreciated throughout Europe. At the base of these bottles are grape varieties that have found their ideal habitat in Tuscany, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. This is a sort of comparison with the wine production of Bordeaux, which is characterised by more "oceanic" notes, and has more Mediterranean organoleptic and sensorial features. Following this line of production, areas within the Etruscan region have been identified as suitable for the production of these Tuscan wines, mainly in the area of Chianti Classico and the Bolgheri coastline, although some exceptions such as the Maremma and Val d'Orcia have been included. In these areas, history suggests that some wine growers, during the course of the last century, recognised the possibility of creating unconventional expressions that did not comply with the production regulations of the time and could therefore not benefit from the designation of controlled and guaranteed origin. Convinced of these intuitions of international style and taste, they began to market the first bottles without denomination, enjoying great success in wine bars all over the world. This was initially outside the borders of Italy, even if, over time, the practice of choosing the simple denomination of Toscana IGT became widespread. This was the starting point for the trend that has characterised several Tuscan production areas for decades now, inspiring also other Italian areas over the years in the production of great Bordeaux blends. Bolgheri, Chiantigiano and the entire Etruscan region gained great recognition for the finesse and power they demonstrated, and over the decades have developed a Supertuscan list of great interpretations able to excite even the most demanding palates.

The Origins of the Myth

In the beginning there was the "Vigorello", which was the first Tuscan Bordeaux blend in terms of historicity, and was developed by the San Felice winery from 1968 onwards. It was made from Pugnitello grapes, an ancient variety from central Tuscany, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, and was aged for 24 months in French oak barrels. It was the first of a series of successful wines that interpreted the Chianti terroir through a new approach. Among the best Supertuscans, it is impossible not to mention and describe the story of the most famous of them all, which revolutionised this category and soon became one of the world's greatest wines: Sassicaia. This red wine is made mostly from Cabernet Sauvignon with a small addition of Cabernet Franc, and is named after the vineyard of the same name in the municipality of Bolgheri. Created and marketed by Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta for the first time in the 1960s, it was met with much opposition at the beginning, especially among local winegrowers. However, this did not stop the visionary and innovative spirit of the Marquis, who noticed a great morphological similarity between the Sassicaia vineyard and the pebbly soils of the Graves of Bordeaux, which he often visited with his friend Baron de Rothschild, who owned vineyards in the area. The fame that this icon of Tuscan viticulture has achieved is however thanks to a sensational event in 1978, when Hugh Johnson, the great international wine critic of the time, included Sassicaia in a blind tasting organised by the magazine "Decanter". The 33 best Cabernets in the world took part in the tasting, and to everyone's surprise and amazement it was the very wine created by the Marquis Incisa della Rocchetta that won, officially establishing it as a legend. The world of these great Tuscan reds, however, is also characterised by other expressions of great historical importance that have won over both critics and public opinion, as in the case of the Tignanello of the Antinori winery. Established in 1971 as the result of a fortunate intuition of Piero Antinori, it combines both Sangiovese and Cabernet grapes, and has rapidly become one of the icons of Italian production in the world. The concept is also similar for some great Sangiovese wines, such as the famous "Pergole Torte" which, although born in the Chianti Classico area, is marketed under the IGT denomination. During the 1980s, in fact, the Black Rooster consortium did not like the choice of not combining the historic grape varieties with the blend and thus excluded the winery, which was both innovative and traditionalist, from the denomination.

The Sensory Profile of Supertuscans

Characterised by substantial differences according to the grapes used, the sensory analysis of these red wines, which are enological expressions of multiple aspects, is capable of releasing strength, opulence and extreme finesse. From the ruby red colour with intense hints of garnet red, clear aromas of ripe fruit such as cherries, morello cherries in alcohol and plums are released, along with spiced scents reminiscent of cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper. The aromatic bouquets are often cooled by balsamic and herbaceous notes, before revealing themselves in an intense and very smooth sip, which plays on the perfect balance between power, substance and freshness frequently conveyed by thick and noble tannins.

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