Sassicaia, the Bordeaux-style wine of Tenuta San Guido

Learning from wine is what I have always done – you discover territories, company philosophies, different grape varieties, just as different are the imprints they leave when you taste them.

Beyond theory, getting hands-on with the hard yet rewarding work that exists behind the bottle is as important as it is moving.
I will never stop travelling for wine.

Tenuta San Guido, excellence in Bolgheri

Bolgheri, I remember it fondly, thinking back on how far I have come from there and how far I still have to go. In particular, I visited one of the most beloved – and perhaps most envied – estates in the Italian wine landscape, from the very moment their wine first timidly appeared on the market. I stepped almost on tiptoe into Tenuta San Guido, taking in that corner of paradise where wine and nature take centre stage, not wanting to miss a single detail. Bolgheri, a territory that even wine novices associate with prestigious products, was once a barren wasteland. Marchese Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta graciously told me the extraordinary story of this terroir and the journey that Cabernet Sauvignon took to become Sassicaia.

Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, the wine marchese

Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, affectionately known as the father of Sassicaia, sensed that this territory – where wines had been produced for local use – was in fact a rocky area particularly well-suited to vine cultivation, and to prove it he planted Cabernet Sauvignon rootlings inspired by Bordeaux.

The Marchese was by no means a stranger to the world of wine: he graduated in Agronomy and even published a book, a true ode to nature.
Working in harmony with the land and drawing on peasant farming experience can show us the right path to achieving proper balance in the vineyard. The title of the book reads: "La terra è viva. Appunti di scienza contadina per una via italiana all'agricoltura biologica".

From family wine to success

Experimenting in Italy with a variety (Cabernet Sauvignon) that at the time was not as widespread as it is today bore fruit. The wine produced from it satisfied the Marchese's standards, and he continued production even if only for family use.
Ageing then played a fundamental role, lending balance and complexity to that young wine consumed solely within the family.
Production grew to the point where many bottles were put on the market starting in 1968.
In 1977 in London, more than two hundred Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines were tasted, and among the samples entered was Sassicaia. It stood out from the rest, and its success was assured. Angelo Gaja subsequently declared: "Sassicaia is the first Italian wine to have spoken a foreign language."

Sassicaia, between acclaim and controversy

Robert Parker, a heavyweight name in the wine world, ranked Sassicaia among the most noteworthy wines he had ever tasted in his career. This acclaim fell especially on the 1985 vintage, which according to the critic brought Italy up to France's level.
In recent months the wine has been the subject of controversy precisely in connection with Parker's praise. It has been called a "parkerised" wine – one created specifically for palates across the Atlantic. The controversy arose above all in relation to a Slow Food Italia event dedicated to Sassicaia.
Was the protest perhaps not so much aimed at Sassicaia itself, but rather a criticism of events that always spotlight the illustrious names and not "lesser-known" products?
Small producers and wine artisans take part in events and seminars run by many associations, and going to spy on them in the vineyard and cellar is even more rewarding.
Getting to know the celebrated names up close, or through associations, allows us to touch the history of Italian wine quality first-hand.

Sassicaia vintage 2013

In the production of Doc Bolgheri Sassicaia, Cabernet Franc contributes 15% alongside the Cabernet Sauvignon. Both benefit from a prestigious terroir: 75 hectares characterised by calcareous areas rich in stones and clayey rocks such as Galestro. The wine's ageing is entrusted to French oak barriques for a period of 24 months, followed by further refinement in the bottle.
The 2013 vintage, with its unmistakable ruby colour, reveals itself on the nose with minty notes and fruity sensations reminiscent of small forest berries. A background of vanilla completes the olfactory profile.
Noble from its colour to its gustatory-olfactory persistence, Sassicaia is a Tuscan wine dressed in French clothing.

Not only Sassicaia

The marriage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot gave birth in 2000 to Guidalberto, "the second wine" from Tenuta San Guido, enjoyable even at a young age. In the early vintages Sangiovese also contributed to the blend, a grape variety present in the uvaggio of Difese, a convivial wine of extreme softness.