Bolgheri

Tenuta San Guido’s Exciting New Guidalberto 2023 Red Blend Carving Out Its Own Fine Wine Niche…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Tenuta San Guido’s Guidalberto Tuscan red blend has historically been overshadowed by its more famous sibling Sassicaia, a wine that usually steals all the fine wine headlines. But this scenario is surely going to be challenged and the distinction between the two wines further emphasised when Guidalberto’s new bespoke winery is finally completed in the summer of 2025 with the 2026 harvest earmarked to be the first complete vintage produced in the new facility, built on an old brick works site on the Tenuta San Guido estate in Bolgheri.

The bigger sibling, Sassicaia, is normally a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc (88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Cabernet Franc in the 2022 blend) that is aged for almost two years in predominantly French oak barriques. Guidalberto on the other hand, is usually a Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend (55% and 45% in 2023) which is aged for around 12 months in barrel. Apart from the blend, Guidalberto stuck out from Sassicaia’s blend when the wines were shown to the press alongside each other with Guidalberto always coming from a vintage one year younger, and very often was actually a barrel sample rather than a finished bottled wine like Sassicaia. 

Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta presenting the 2023 Guidalberto in London.

Owner, Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta and Sales Director Guido Baldeschi, explained at the recent Sassicaia 2022 launch that the number of bottles of Sassicaia produced is to drop by about 10% from 290 to 300,000 bottles per year to circa 250,000. Likewise, Guidalberto will have its output reduced to circa 280,000 bottles per year (in 2019 there were 430,000 bottles produced), while Tenuta San Guido’s Le Difese blend will settle at around 300 to 320,000 bottles per year. Guidalberto will also spend 4 to 6 months longer in oak barrels and Le Difese 1 to 2 months more.

The big brother … Sassicaia

Guidalberto is now launched at its own dedicated release tasting event and in mid-March 2025, the Guidalberto 2023 was profiled, coming from a ‘more challenging’ growing season with downy mildew affecting flowering and fruit set after a very wet May, which resulted in a -5% production loss, although further damage was avoided by the dedicated actions of the 120 Tenuta San Guido vineyard workers. There is nothing challenging about the 2023 wine however, which ably represents the ever-rising quality of this prestige Tuscan label.

Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto 2023, IGT Toscana, 13.65% Abv.

6.12 TA | 3.44pH

A classical blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot from 18-year-old vines, the 2023 displays a deep dark opaque colour suggesting a broody aromatics which is indeed tightly packed with red and black berry fruits, damson plum and sun-dried black cherry laced with sweet baking herbs and subtle hoisin plum sauce nuances. The energy on the palate is notable, the acids bright and tangy, combing with sweet savoury berry fruits, creamy tannins, and a spicy, mineral-tinged length. Beautiful mid-palate weight with a long, intense, potent finish. This is another serious release indeed! Drink from 2026 to 2038+.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Guidalberto 2023 and the wines of Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia are imported and sold in the UK through Armit Wines.

Revisiting the Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto 2021 After the High Profile 100 Point Sassicaia 2021 Release…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Guidalberto was always known as the official second wine of Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia even though it was a slightly different blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot compared to Sassicaia’s Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc cuvee. First released in 2000 to mark the Millenium, it was originally conceived to be more approachable earlier than its bigger sibling Sassicaia but still retain an impressive age worthiness if cellared.

As time has passed, the Guidalberto cuvee has taken on a more individual identity to the point where it is now regarded by Tenuta San Guido as its own wine and no longer a notional second wine of Sassicaia. As such, construction commenced in 2022/3 to build Guidalberto its own dedicated winery and this is expected to be completed in late 2025 or early 2026.

Tenuta San Guido’s director of winemaking, Carlo Paoli, is on record for saying that he thought the Guidalberto 2021 was the finest vintage ever produced. So after tasting and reviewing the newly released Sassicaia 2021 recently, I decided to pull a bottle of the Guidalberto 2021 out the cellar and see how it’s looking after an extra year in bottle. With stocks still available on the open market at affordable prices, this wine seems a particularly wise buy for circa £220-£250 IB per 6 compared to Sassicaia 2021’s rather punchy £1,250 IB per 6 new release price.

Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto 2021, IGT Toscana, 13.5% Abv.

There doesn’t seem to be complete agreement amongst growers as to whether 2021 in Bolgheri was an easy or difficult vintage. What certainly is in agreement is that this cooler Tuscan vintage yielded some incredibly taut, intense, vibrant wines. Aged in 85% French and 15% American oak 225 litre barrels, 40% new, for 15 months, this beautiful Guidalberto 2021 boasts fabulously piercing aromatics of violets, black cherries, blackberry compote and seductive dark plum over sweet exotic Christmas spices and stony graphite notes. The oak and vanilla wood spice is still busy integrating with the super taut, tight palate fruit intensity, perhaps at a slightly slower pace than in a riper, warmer vintage. But it’s the palate’s chiselled focus and linearity that marks this vintage as a true stand out expression amongst more recent dryer, warmer years. The texture is laser focused but also wonderfully transparent showing the true mineral terroir characteristics of Bolgheri together with a wonderfully fresh, tart, glassy acidity supported by sleek, polished marble tannins on a pithy cherry cola packed finish. A vintage to be truly celebrated but also one best to bury in the cellar for an another 8 to 10+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Great Vintages Create Great Wines – Tasting The Iconic Sassicaia 2021 Bolgheri Rosso New Release…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Few wine estates have captured the collective imagination of the wine trade and fine wine consumers in recent years quite like Sassicaia has, making every new vintage release a notable event in the annual fine wine calendar. “Each vintage is a small but determinant step in preserving our unique heritage and creating a long-lasting legacy. We feel a profound responsibility in offering to the world not simply a wine, but a symbol of virtuous coexistence of man and nature”, states Sassicaia General Manager Carlo Paoli.

On the 2,500-hectare estate, 115 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vines are cultivated on the estate-owned plots of Castiglioncello, Aia Nuova, Cerreta, Sassicaia di Sopra and San Martino. Planted on limestone rich soils, the vineyards are located at an average altitude of between 100 and 300 meters above sea level, with exposure to the West / Southwest.

With the perfect terroir, all that is needed for an exceptional vintage of Sassicaia is an optimal vintage, and this is exactly what the estate experienced during the lead up to the 2021 vintage. The autumn of 2020 was characterized by mild temperatures and alternating rainfall. From mid-October to the second half of December the rains were more frequent, and temperatures dropped below the seasonal norm. Except for the week of Christmas, the remaining winter period was rainy and intensely cold, conditions which favoured the resting vines after several consecutive hot, dry seasons.

Sassicaia barrel cellar

The situation changed drastically in the last week of February with a sharp rise in daytime temperatures, almost spring-like, and sunny days. March was dry and generally sunny. In the very first days of April, temperatures were mild and from mid-April they began to drop dramatically again, approaching 0°C at night. Throughout the month of April and a good part of the month of May, sunny days and sporadic rains were alternating, sometimes even stormy, but with a continuation of fresh air and temperatures below the seasonal norm, especially in the early hours of the morning and at night. From the second ten days of May the weather situation changed with a substantial rise in temperatures and the definitive arrival of the beautiful season.

The vines were not affected by the strong heat of the summer months and the development of the vegetation continued regularly, although with smaller bunches and berries, suggesting a harvest of reduced quantity but also greater concentration of fruit. The progress of ripening at the end of August was stable and constant, favouring optimal phenolic ripening, and harvesting operations for the 52nd vintage of Sassicaia commenced on the 1st September under ideal weather conditions.

Sassicaia Le Difese 2022, IGT Toscana Rosso, 13.5% Abv.

0.32g/l RS| 5.60g/l TA | 3.50pH

This traditional Cabernet Sauvignon – Sangiovese blend is a super bright and crystalline offering, the aromatics subtle and sultry with a delicate smoky blackberry melange of cherry and juniper with a delicate black plum spice. In the mouth the wine is super sleek and elegant possessing ample fruit weight, silky creamy tannins and a picante, salty black currant persistence. Another wonderfully well honed, harmonious le Difese that is deliciously forward and ready to drink now and over the next 8 to 10+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2021, Bolgheri-Sassicaia DOCG, 14.10% Abv.

0.15g/l RS| 6.10g/l TA| 3.43pH

A truly wonderful vintage of freshness, elegance and purity, this super attractive 2021 release boasts seductive aromatics of roasted herbs, sweet sappy sandalwood spice, picante black cherry and bramble berry nuances intricately interwoven with hints of sweet, moist tobacco leaf, black cherry kirsch liquor, and a subtle crushed limestone minerality. The palate is silky and seamless, beautifully finessed into a weightless, perfectly formed fine wine with lacey tannins, a soft intricate intensity of fruit and an incredible red and black berry fruit concentration, all in perfect harmony. This wine certainly speaks of greatness and overt purity and precision that, in this cooler vintage, come together in perfect synergy. Undoubtedly ranked among Sassicaia’s greatest ever releases… and for me personally, a wine that absolutely personifies the cooler vintage affinity of this world class winery. Drink from 2025 to 2048+.

(Wine Safari Score: 99/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Tenuta San Guido wines are imported into the UK by Armit Wines and are available for retail on allocation from fine wine merchant Museum Wines.

Marchesi Antinori Releases the Tenuta Guado Al Tasso Il Bruciato Bolgheri Rosso 2021 from a 5-Star Rated Vintage…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Il Bruciato was created in the year 2002 during one of the most difficult vintages at Guado al Tasso in order to present the unique terroir of Bolgheri and give it a greater visibility and recognition. The first blend to be used was that of Guado al Tasso only to see, in the years which followed, a modification of the varietal composition and the identification of a series of vineyard plots intended to be used exclusively for this wine.

Until the current DOC regulations were laid down in 1994, Sassicaia and the other top Super Tuscan wines produced were usually sold as Vino da Tavola or Toscana IGT. Today a Bolgheri Rosso like Il Bruciato from Tenuta Guado Al Tasso may be made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, or a blend combining one or more of these, and / or up to 50 percent of Syrah or Sangiovese. Other red grapes such as Petit Verdot may account for up to 30 percent. Earlier DOC regulations prevented monovarietal wines from being produced as Bolgheri Rosso, and some examples such as Masseto (pure Merlot) are also still labelled as Toscana IGT.

The Tenuta Guado Al Tasso estate covers an area of 320 hectares and is planted with vines, set in a beautiful plain encircled by rolling hillsides known as the “Bolgheri Amphitheatre” due to its particular shape. The vineyards are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Vermentino. The nearby sea provides a mild climate with constant cooling breezes that mitigate the sometimes oppressive summer heat but also act to alleviate harsh winter weather, maintaining a clear sky and a high level of sunlight exposure to the vines.

The world’s weather has become increasingly wild in recent years and looks set to continue as climate change makes its influence felt more and more. Although much of the growing season for 2021 was distinctly odd the world over, much of the vintage was surprisingly good – in some places like Bolgheri, even excellent. Thanks to a winter period full of rains, it had a very regular pattern, with a well-ventilated dry summer with temperatures never above the seasonal average. The good temperature ranges that began in the second half of August favoured the aromatic finesse of the grapes. The wines of the 2021 vintage are certainly convincing with a marked acidity freshness, ripe sweet tannins and a good level of phenolic extraction. It promises to be one of the best vintages for aging potential and it is presumably for this reason that the 2021 vintage was awarded a 5-Star rating.

Bolgheri Vintage Ratings: 1983 to 2021

Tenuta Guado Al Tasso Il Bruciato Bolgheri Rosso 2021, 14% Abv.

The 2021 Il Bruciato is a highly anticipated wine release especially after the broader Bolgheri region’s 5-star vintage rating awarded recently. This new release shows an intense, vibrant ruby red colour with just the faintest hint of youthful purple on the rim. Over the years, while this wine has undoubtedly increased considerably in price, it has also moved up to an undeniably more premium nouveau of fine wine quality and collectability. Within this release, the intricate, expressive aromatics are displayed to full effect with a fabulously crisp, tart, bright crunchy red and black cherry fruited nose punctuated by supremely expensive French oak vanilla pod spices, hints of warm buttered brown toast, sweet cherry tobacco and subtle notes of red salty liquorice. On the palate there is a texture of silk, with each blended component bringing its A game: the Merlot offering up its unique Bolgheri pithy cherry intensity, the Cabernet Sauvignon providing backbone, liquorice, cassis, cedar and spice, and the Cabernet Franc filling in the cracks to form the most unified and elegant of red offerings. As with all 5-star vintages, the paramount differentiating quality factor is the unique combination of fruit intensity combined with weightless concentration, together with bright, seamless acids that create a truly breath-taking wine. For me, this release opens a new door of elevated precision and quality that Italian fine wine aficionados and collectors with an eye for value and age ability will surely find irresistible. Drink on release and comfortably over the next 10 to 12+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Wines available retail through Museum Wines.

https://www.museumwines.co.uk/shop/antinori/2021/il-bruciato-2021-ibd-pre-release-offer-for-6-bottles/

The Guado Al Tasso Il Bruciato Rosso 2020 Proves to be Another Blockbuster Release…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The beautiful Guado al Tasso estate is located in the small but prestigious Bolgheri DOC appellation on the coast of the Upper Maremma, about one hundred kilometers southwest of Florence. This appellation has a relatively recent history as it was only established in 1994 but has since gained worldwide recognition as featuring one of the most prestigious red wines in the premium Antinori family portfolio – Tenuta Guado Al Tasso.

Il Bruciato, the second wine, was first produced in 2002 in one of the most difficult vintages ever for the famous Guado al Tasso estate. The Il Bruciato wine is now regarded as a modern interpretation of Bolgheri’s unique terroir made from carefully selected Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah grapes from all around Guado al Tasso’s vineyards.

Guado Al Tasso barrel cellar.

The 2020 vintage in Bolgheri was a rather challenging, warm vintage, especially in the summer, that was however mitigated by good rains in 2019 and some 2020 Spring showers. At neighbouring estate Ornellaia, Director of Winemaking Axel Heinz stated that… “2020 was a great example of the now-unpredictable nature of our (Bolgheri) weather. We had to deal with challenges on various fronts: a spell of high heat and periods of cooler temperatures and rain.” But fortunately the ‘in-bottle’ results from most of the top producers are indeed very impressive, reinforcing how knowledge and expertise can fine tune a challenging vintage.

Tenuta Guado Al Tasso Il Bruciato Rosso, 2020, 13.5% Abv.

In a similar vein to Bordeaux’s second wines, the top Rosso second wines from Bolgheri offer impressive depth, opulence, complexity and sensual drinking pleasure, giving the consumer a brief snapshot into the estate’s ‘first wine’ offerings even if the cepage of grapes is sometimes slightly different. Of the big name estates in coastal Tuscany, Il Bruciato has been one of my perennial favourites coming from the beautiful estate of Guado Al Tasso. The 2020 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah is yet another star performer boasting lush aromatic layers of black cherry, piquant black chocolate, smoky black currant with sweet grilled herbs, roasted caramelised almonds, stewed plums and toasty brûléed brown toast nuances. The palate is luxuriously rich and generous with dense sweet silky tannins, a compact core of black berry fruits and savoury meaty graphite hints on the leafy, sappy finish. Drink this on release and over 8 to 10+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Sassicaia 2019 New Vintage Release Tasting In London…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

I have commented before that it’s pure genius that Tenuta San Guido release their new Sassicaia vintage every year along side the next years Guidalberto and Le Difese red blends, enabling tasters to indulge in a unique snapshot of what is in the pipeline for the next Sassicaia release. It builds a full year of excitement and anticipation in the wine trade which counts as priceless promotion in marketing terms!

Priscilla Incisa della Rochetta was due to fly into London recently to present the new 2019 Sassicaia release but was sadly confined to her home office after one of her children tested positive for covid after returning from a family ski break. So, we hooked up by zoom instead and shared Tenuta San Guido’s wonderful new releases together virtually.

Tenuta San Guido Le Difese 2020, 14% Abv.

A rather challenging, warm vintage especially in the summer that was mitigated by good rains in 2019 and some 2020 Spring showers. With a broad array of vineyards to select fruit from and a percentage of earlier ripening Sangiovese, the blend was assembled to 55% Sangiovese and 45% for the Cabernet Sauvignon, departing from the usual split of 70-30 Cabernet-Sangiovese.

Bight and richly fruited, there are ample layers of black currant, earthy tobacco spice, sweet black plum and bruleed brown toast notes. But the palate is vibrant and electric, full of energy and fresh acids that bring the black and red berry fruits to life while also adding frame and structure in the mouth. The tannins are wonderfully sleek, fine grained and elegant with a subtle minerality and hints of graphite. A deliciously fresh and refined expression of this earlier drinking cuvée.

(Wine Safari Score: 90+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto 2020, 14% Abv.

Slightly higher Merlot component rising from 40% to 50%, with the remainder all Cabernet Sauvignon, sticking with the theme of a higher percentage of the earlier ripening variety than normal. 

Deep and darkly coloured, the aromatics are rich and fruity with opulent savoury aromatic layers of bruleed black currant, creme caramel, cut cedar, sweet tobacco and an exotic dusting of youthful cinnamon spice. The palate is fleshy and opulent with a pronounced sweet and sour tangy acidity, a full sleek mid-palate weight and a long, plumy tobacco spice finish. Harmonious, finely balance and offering a great expectation of drinking pleasure for the next 10 to 15 years.

(Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2019, 14% Abv. 

The 2019 is a very classic vintage that follows a perfect pattern through all phases of the season. Grapes were healthy and perfectly mature allowing a long hang time for the later ripening Cabernet Sauvignon due marked diurnal temperature shifts and a relaxed, gently paced picking window. Great structure, low pHs and a fresh acidity all point to a long ageing potential.

Deep, dark, broody aromatics that are tight and reserved currently, with a traditional blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. The aromatics show layers of violets, damson plum, black currant, blood orange, sweet cedar, grilled herbs, oak spice and black currant infused herbal tea nuances. On the palate the density is clear and present, full, opulent and concentrated, gliding over the tongue with great textural weight but also fleshy fruit power, seamless fine grained creamy tannins and all round finesse and majestic balance. Pure class… profound on so many levels and perhaps, along with the 2016 vintage, one of the most attractive Sassicaia releases in the past 20+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Gaja Ca’ Marcanda Bolgheri Estate Releases Some Triumphant 2019 Reds…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

As the world gets back to normal after pandemic disruptions, new fine wine releases are also slowly getting back on track and becoming more frequent. Today I was privileged to join one of my favourite wine personalities, Gaia Gaja, for a true celebration of 20 years of Ca’ Marcanda including a tutored tasting and a preview of the fabulous new 2019 releases.

Magari is an Italian expression holding different meanings: “If only it was true…!” or “I wish…!” It is said to carry a sort of irony which usually leads people to smile, and I can tell you this Magari 2019 certainly made me smile with pleasure. Undoubtedly always one of my favourite cuvées in the range that includes the Promis and Ca’ Marcanda flagship Rosso, once again the superb Magari expression delivers something very special indeed.

The entrancing Gaia Gaja resplendent in the London Spring sunshine of Pall Mall.

Made from fruit grown on classic dark Bolgheri soils rich in limestone and clay, the three varieties were fermented and macerated separately for around 15 days before circa 12 months of oak barrel ageing. The maiden release was vintage 2000. Watch out for all the new, incredibly serious but seductive releases from Gaja Ca’ Marcanda Bolgheri.

Ca’ Marcanda Magari 2019, Bolgheri Rosso, 14.5% Abv.

The 2019 Magari is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot. Showing taut broody aromatics in its youth, this is a very serious linear Magari that needs coaxing to come out and play. Wonderfully dark fruited with cool limestone minerality, lavender, graphite and subtle oak spice notes, the palate is incredibly fine and polished, super precise and harmonious with a five star balance and intensity. The finish is cool, creamy and beautifully pure with smoky creme de cassis and a pithy black cherry elegance that very slowly melts away on the long, persistent finish. Stern but seductive and very serious! Bravo Gaja! Drink from 2024 to 2044+.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Famed Antinori Guado Al Tasso Estate Releases a True Benchmark Il Bruciato 2019 Blend…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The Guado al Tasso estate is located in the small but prestigious Bolgheri DOC appellation on the coast of Upper Maremma, about one hundred kilometers southwest of Florence. This appellation has a relatively recent history as it was only established in 1994 but has since gained worldwide recognition as a new reference point in the international fine wine scene.

Il Bruciato, the second wine, was first produced in 2002 in one of the most difficult vintages ever for the famous Guado al Tasso estate. The wine is now regarded as a modern interpretation of Bolgheri’s unique terroir made from carefully selected Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah grapes from all around Guado al Tasso’s vineyards.

Sunrise over the Guado Al Tasso Vineyards

The 2019 vintage’s growing season saw relatively cool weather in April and May then hot, dry conditions throughout the end of July. The slight delay in the vines’ initial growth cycle evened out as summer began. A sudden rise in temperatures caused the vines to produce lighter, loosely packed clusters, especially notable in the late ripening varieties where fruit set wasn’t yet fully completed. The months of August and September brought steady sunny weather that allowed grapes to progress to full ripeness in optimal conditions.

Harvesting operations began with Merlot at the beginning of September and were completed with Cabernet Sauvignon at the beginning of October. The other grape varieties, Syrah and smaller quantities of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, were picked during the last half of September.

Cabernet Sauvignon was blended with Merlot, Syrah and a small percentage of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot and the final blend was reintroduced into barriques where it was left to age before bottling.

Antinori Tenuta Guado Al Tasso Il Bruciato 2019, Bolgheri DOC, 14.5% Abv.

Always an exceptional wine of compelling quality, the fresher, more structured 2018 sold out very quickly after release making the 2019 even more anticipated. An exciting new vintage, the wine is decidedly more opulent and generously fruited with aromatics of black cherry tobacco, black berry, graphite, iron filings, sweet cedar and purple rock candy confectionary nuances on the finish. On the palate there is an impressive depth of fruit with a notable glycerol, mouth-filling breadth together with sweet creamy mineral tannins and a fleshy mocha-laced black berry fruit accessibility. Where the 2018 was slightly more angular, cooler and nervy, the 2019 is more seductive, opulent, luxurious and obviously riper. While this is a wine that has increased in price significantly over the past few years it remains a real must-buy for regular Bolgheri enthusiasts.

(Wine Safari score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Sassicaia 2018 – A Cool Classical Vintage at Its Very Best…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Faced with tasting and assessing the new 2018 Sassicaia, it is almost impossible not to recall the significance of the great past Sassicaia vintages ending in “8”. From the very beginning with the first commercial release in 1968 up to the 1988 that was thought by many influential critics to rival the great 100 point 1985. One thing all the greatest vintages of Sassicaia do have in common is the way the wines really excel and hit their zenith of quality in the cooler, more classical vintages.

With their exceptional fruit grown in their own ‘monopole’ territorial delimitation of DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia, it is perhaps fitting that the name Sassicaia itself means stones in the local dialect and leads you directly to the exceptional terroir that lies at the heart of one of the greatest red wines in Italy.

The Cabernet Sauvignon vines on the galestro soils.

The 2018 vintage was undoubtedly a classical year for Tenuta San Guido. With the cold winter characterised by lengthy periods of rain and an unusually cold snowy period at the end of February, which those across the UK and Western Europe will remember as the “Beast from the East”, a chilling weather pattern that descended across Europe from icy Siberia, all the elements were in place for perfect vineyard dormancy and the elimination of pests and parasites.

The Sassicaia barrel ageing cellar in Bolgheri.

While Spring was cool and constant with slowly rising temperatures and sunny days, May saw the return of rain and wind. The growing season from Spring to Summer was very favourable with ample ground water supplies, normal constant temperatures without any excessive heat spikes and importantly, cool temperatures in the night. With longer than normal hanging times for the grapes, the season allowed for the slow progressing of phenolic ripeness and the development of intricate aromatics and vibrant acidities.

Harvest began on average 7 to 8 days later than normal on the 6th of September and ended on October 4th with the collection of Cabernet Sauvignon fruit in the Vigna di Castiglioncello and Vigna del Quercione vineyards located at higher altitudes of around 360 metres above sea level.

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2018, DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia, 13.5% Abv.

One of the true signs of a wine’s greatness is its ability to capture the very essence of every changing vintage through its liquid terroir representation. This long cool vintage is captured beautifully in this latest Sassicaia release that is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. While showing plenty of taut, wound spring tension and aromatic restraint, the finery of this vintage slowly but surely reveals itself in slow, subtle, delicate perfumed waves of violets, cherry blossom and lavender hints all supported by intense mouth-watering notes of small black cherries, cranberries, earthy blueberries, cola and stony dark notes of blood and graphite. The oak use is almost imperceptible, melting into the fruit concentration like cherry cordial into water. On the palate, the mouthfeel shows incredible purity, density, intensity and focus with impressively creamy, compact, velvety ripe tannins that buttress the red and black berry fruits and the vibrant energetic acidity. But if there is one true stand out feature of this wine in its youth, it’s the wine’s incredible harmony and seamless balance in the mouth that points to perfect phenolic ripeness, expertly managed tannin extraction and the true benefits of longer, stress-free hang times of the grapes. Despite the abundant finesse and accessibility, this wine possesses restrained power, classical tension, liquid minerality and a fabulously long, persistent finish that is reminiscent of Grand Cru Burgundy in the finest years. A deeply seductive Sassicaia shaped by its classicism, linearity and balance. How can you not enjoy a few bottles of this classy wine in its youth? Drink from 2022 to 2045+.

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

An Exercise in Opulence and Hedonism – Tasting the New Release Ornellaia 2017…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Hot on the heels of the Sassicaia 2017 release comes the opulent, extroverted Ornellaia expression. From a warm dry vintage, conditions certainly played to the Ornellaia style of richness and opulence.

The vineyards extend 115 hectares and are broken down into 70 different plots, all with slightly different characteristics. There are two main areas, one around the Ornellaia winery itself and another around Bellaria to the north and north-west of Bolgheri, where the land slopes gently down towards the sea some 5 km away. All vineyards within the Bolgheri DO are dedicated to the production of the Ornellaia range with the very best plots being blended into Ornellaia and also the highly respected second wine, Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia.

Ornellaia 2017, DO Bolgheri Superiore, 15 Abv.

Facinating to see how individual and unique the expression of Ornellaia is vintage after vintage. This warm sunshine vintage boasts a ripe, plush opulent nose jam packed full of cherry confit, black plum preserve and blueberry pie laced with a dusting of vanilla pod and brûléed oak spice. Such a dense, dark core with hedonistic notes of mocha and chocolates filled with blueberry reduction, creme de cassis and buttered brown toast. A bold, extroverted, flamboyant expression of Ornellaia that will appeal to those who enjoy riper, more exotic vintages. Drink from release and for 15+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Note: Tasted after bottling, this wine was rated 94+/100. A subsequent tasting in April 2020 resulted in an upgraded score of 95+/100 GSMW.