Sassicaia

Premium Bolgheri Producer Tenuta San Guido Releases Its Highly Anticipated Sassicaia 2023…

Sassicaia 2023
~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

And just like that, Sassicaia 100 pointers seem to be like London buses, nothing for 31 years after the legendary 1985 and then finally, the monumental 2016 release which garnered a perfect score from almost every global critic who tasted it, with the 2021 and 2023 following closely behind. Attending the London-based global launch of the Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2023 release, I couldn’t help wondering out aloud if this phenomenon was a case of the market and critics finally catching up with the true Sassicaia style or had the wines really improved / changed markedly over the years?

Anyone who has drunk multiple back vintages of Sassicaia going back to the 1980s and 1990s will know that Tenuta San Guido has forged somewhat of a reputation for making memorable wines in less than memorable Tuscan vintages – a mind-blowing bottle of 1993 Sassicaia drunk a couple of years ago with friends a perfect case in point. I have very fortunately had the opportunity to taste the epic 1985 Sassicaia from bottle and magnum and it undoubtedly remains one of the great 100-point wines of perfection in modern winemaking history. Now, I just need to find a bottle of the infamous 1988 to taste, a wine that was fabled to be even better than the 1985!

Pricilla Incisa della Rocchetta, owner of Sassicaia.

The 2023 vintage in Bolgheri was marked by a cold winter and above-average rainfall followed by severe outbreaks of downy mildew that damaged leaves, forcing Tenuta San Guido into a brutal fruit selection regime that resulted in a -20% reduction in yields overall. Only wineries willing to make these ruthless viticultural sorting sacrifices succeeded in 2023. But they say it in Bordeaux and Burgundy almost every vintage now – that there are great wines produced in almost every vintage, good and bad, and that the best wines can often rank highly amongst the most compelling fine wines. This seems to be the case with Sassicaia in 2023, a vintage that will be remembered for “fruit, salinity and length,” said Tenuta San Guido’s General Manager Carlo Paoli. 

As usual, the Sassicaia 2023 vintage was tasted alongside the new releases of Tenuta San Guido’s Le Difese and Guidalberto 2024.

Tenuta San Guido Le Difese 2024, IGT Toscana, 13.5% Abv.

The 2024 Le Difese is a blend of 75% Sangiovese and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and reveals a cool, dark fruited, broody aromatics with a delicately seductive perfume of violets, cherry blossom, black currants, and damson plum with a subtle dusting of vanilla pod spice and aniseed root. The palate is crystalline and pure, fine boned, fresh, and supple with sleek sinewy red berry fruits, red cherry, cranberry and Victoria plum. The acids are linear and bright, the tannins silky soft and pinpoint with a delicate mineral grip on the finish. Once again, almost more Pinot Noir in character and elegance but incredibly seductive. Drink now to 2034+. (375,000 bottles produced.)

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

Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto 2024, IGT Toscana, 13.5% Abv.

A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Merlot, the Guidalberto 2024 shows a noticeably more lifted, perfumed, intense aromatics than its big brother Sassicaia, with fragrant rose petals, pressed violets, and wild jasmine overlayed with red and black berry fruits, black cherry and a br?l?ed savoury brown breakfast toast nuance. The palate is sleek, fresh, and piercing, deliciously bright and mouth-wateringly tart with red cherry rock candy, cranberry, dried herbs, mint leaf, and suave tight grained chalky tannins on the finish. A delightfully exotic, elegant, stylish Guidalberto with weightless concentration and a finessed intensity. Drink from 2027 to 2040+. (400,000 bottles produced.)

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

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2023, Sassicaia-Bolgheri DOC, 14% Abv.

This 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Cabernet Franc blend is fabulous bright in the glass with translucent cherry ruby red. The aromatics are slightly subdued and broody with hints of lavender and violets, tobacco leaf, and tilled earth. There is a real melange of red and black berry fruits with a leafy musk undertone. The palate is brighter and more accessible than the nose – generous, vibrant, and forthcoming with deliciously fine-grained chalky tannins, layers of mineral limestone intertwined with tart red cherry, red currant and sour plum. Plenty of stuffing and dry extract but made all the more overt and mouthwatering by the cool, crisp crystalline acids. This is a very polished, harmonious Sassicaia, supremely balanced and substantial, harmonious yet majestically elegant. Drink from 2028 to 2045+. (280,000 bottles produced.)

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

The Tenuta San Guido wines are imported into the UK by Armit Wines. Sassicaia 2023 was released at £1,250 per 6 Underbond.

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.

Tasting the New Release Sassicaia 2020 – A Unique Vintage of Generous Ripeness and Nervy Freshness…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

After missing the 2019 Sassicaia new release tasting in London last year due to unforeseen circumstances, this year Priscilla Incisa made sure she was in London in person to present the 2020 vintage of this famous Bolgheri estate in Tuscany, along with the 2021 Le Difese. Having always been in and around the family business, Priscilla started to take a more active role in the marketing and promotion of the Sassicaia brand from around 2012 onwards, and now has become the modern-day face of the winery.

Sassicaia is of course one of the largest private estates in Bolgheri consisting of 2,500 hectares, of which around 100 hectares are planted with vines. The estate also famously consists of over 1,500 hectares of wild woodlands of which almost a third of is a protected wildlife conservation area. The first vintage of Sassicaia was the 1968, which was released in 1971, produced with the help of Antinori’s winemaker at the time, the famous Giacomo Tachis. In 2000, Sassicaia was joined by a “second wine” called Guidalberto, consisting of around 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Finally, in 2002, Le Difese was added to the range, made from around 45% Bolgheri Cabernet Sauvignon and 55% Sangiovese sourced from vineyards in Chianti Rufina.

The 2020 vintage began with adequate rains and generally mild conditions while February and March were more threatening with freezing temperatures, particularly for the prized Cabernet Franc, resulting in lower yields but also concentrated high-quality fruit. Of course, 2020 was the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw very warm, dry summer conditions as well as major challenges securing enough pickers to bring the crop in. With the warm conditions, Tenuta San Guido erred on the side of caution and picked their fruit earlier to preserve freshness and avoid over ripe flavours. As a result, the 2020 wines show a generous ripeness together with a fine purity and a nervy, crisp freshness.

Since the release of the 2019 Sassicaia vintage last year, global demand has soared with merchants and consumers alike sweeping the market for well priced back vintages putting massive upward pressure on older vintages but also ensuring that the new release would follow suit with a higher price. The 2020 sees a considerable price increase from £995 IB per 6 in the UK to £1,200 IB per 6. So you’re going to have to dig that little bit deeper this year to secure a case of this icon wine at the release price.

Tenuta San Guido Le Difese 2021, IGT Toscana, 14% Abv.

The 2021 is a blend of 55% Sangiovese and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and reveals all the brightness, perfume and purity of the 5 Star 2021 vintage. Fragrant and very pretty, the aromatics are full of violets, red cherries, sun raisined cranberries, pink musk and hints of black currant rock candy. The palate mouthfeel is medium bodied but beautifully creamy and textured with a real density and concentration that glides across the palate with ample supporting velvety tannins and the most delicious mouth watering acids. Expertly conceived and wonderfully constructed, clearly showing the precision, intensity and purity of an exceptional vintage. Drink this on release to enjoy its youthful vivacity or hide a few bottles in the cellar for 6 to 8+ years. One of the best Le Difese reds produced since 2002!

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

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2020, Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC, 14% Abv.

This is a classical Sassicaia blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc from a vintage that started cool but finished warm and dry in August. Bottled in early January 2023, the aromatics are noticeably plusher and more opulent than some cooler vintages but the purity and precision is, as always, stunning with lofty perfumed notes of rose petals, lavender, black plum compote, fruit cake and a melange of black berry nuances. The enticing nose draws you in and the palate delivers an opulent, voluptuous mouthful with layers of earthy black cherry, liquorice, dried fennel, tart black currant with and an alluring reductive saline creme de cassis intensity. The textural precision is pinpoint and the acids surprisingly vibrant and tangy with stony mineral tannins adding a lithe, athletic frame beneath the sumptuous cloak of black fruits. Like all of the greatest red wines in the world, I would happily drink this beautiful wine young, even from the barrel, marking its true finesse, balance and harmony. I suspect this vintage will continue to offer generosity and accessibility for longer than normal before starting to close up and slumber. Drink on release and over 15 to 20+ years.

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

Also tasted…

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2014, Bolgheri Sassicaia DOCG, 13% Abv.

There are aromatic similarities here to the 2020 with plenty of dark broody fruit layers over potpourri, sappy wood spice, stewed plum and sun raisined black currants. The palate shows hints of tertiary Cabernet Sauvignon with sweet cherry tobacco, tilled earth and well brewed black tea before another burst of creme de cassis, salty liquorice and oyster shell intensity re-emerge on the silky, sumptuous finish. Lauded as a “restaurant vintage” on release, this label should now be viewed as a badge of honour rather than any detraction from the innate quality that is undoubtedly on display here in the glass. Certainly no rush if you have this in your cellar but why hang on for much longer if the wine is drinking with such seductive elegance. (It was noted that at the Press Tasting the day before, tasters were poured the Sassicaia 2014 from magnum and many noted quite a savoury, evolved maturity suggesting notable bottle variation. The 75cl bottles served at the Trade Tasting, of which I tasted from two different bottles, showed impressive freshness, reductive hints and only very modest evolution.)

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 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)

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)

Tasting the Suave and Sophisticated Sassicaia 2017 – A Triumph of Terroir and Winemaking Over Vintage Conditions…

~ Greg Sherwood MW

It’s become a bit of a tradition to launch the new vintages of the Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia estate in London. This year’s launch took on even greater significance being the highly anticipated successor vintage to the universally praised 100 point Sassicaia 2016. So no pressure then!

These special vineyards that go into the making of Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia cover only around 97 hectares of the total 2.500 hectare DOCG Sassicaia Bolgheri estate. Far from an easy vintage, 2017 has the structure and character to emphasise how incredibly special Tenuta San Guido’s terroir is and also how skilled their winemaking team have become.

Tasting with Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta in London at the Sassicaia launch.

Despite the sustained higher temperatures throughout the growing season and summer together with very little rainfall, the Sassicaia 2017 has retained a remarkable purity, elegance and precision in bottle.

Tenuta San Guido Le Difese 2018, IGT Toscana, 14 Abv.

A fabulous entry level expression that is the only wine in the Sassicaia range that incorporates some indigenous Sangiovese. This year the blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon with 30% Sangiovese. The nose shows a wonderful, forward, overt fragrance with alluring notes of violets, crushed red cherries, black currant pastille, and salty black damson plums with just the gentlest dusting of vanilla pod spice and bruleed coffee beans. The palate is deliciously mouth watering and fresh, displaying vibrant crunchy acids, intense cranberry, tart red cherry and an all round electric brightness. The palate is medium weight but seamlessly smooth and silky and carries on the tradition of Le Difese’s accessibility twinned with generosity. This is the consummate allrounder that will accompany fine cuisine or suffice as a leisurely evening glass of red on the sofa. Drinking from release, you can expect this wine to show well for 5 to 8 years. 

(Wine Safari Score: 91/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto 2018, IGT Toscana, 13.5 Abv.

A wine first created in 2000, this IGT blend has always stuck to a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon blended with 40% Merlot. Initially a little bit reticent on the nose, reminds one that this wine is a serous creation in its own right. Often said to show at its peak after around 10 years, there are many examples that drink well after 15 or 20 years such is its pedigree. The aromatics show less overt fruit intensity but a greater array of dark, broody black berry, sweet dusty tobacco and mineral graphite notes. On the palate there is superb attention to detail, impressive focus and a seamless, elegant finesse. The acids are well integrated and the fruit opulence plush but classically balanced. Light on its feet, this sleek, silky Guidalberto caresses the mouth gently and finishes with beautifully textured elegance and powder fine tannin grip. A very harmonious creation with plenty of star quality. Drink now and over the next 8 to 10+ years.

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

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2017, DOCG Bolgheri Sassicaia, 14 Abv. 

Bottle in January 2020, this 2017 blend is made up of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and also 15% Cabernet Franc from vines of which 60% to 70% are 20 years or older on the same site up the mountain near the Castello where the original plantings where made in 1942. Using around 33% new French oak again, the 2017 vintage yielded around 200,000 bottles or around -15% less than the 2016 vintage. On the nose, the aromatics speak of a warmer, riper vintage with pronounced notes of black currants, spiced black plums and black orchard fruits. The palate is plush and opulent with all the telltale Sassicaia finesse and elegance coming to the fore. If anything, the tannins are sweeter, softer and flesher than the more masculine 2016 expression. Suave and sophisticated, this 2017 imposes its own character from the start and leads with plenty of dried rosemary and thyme herb complexity, silky cassis intensity and a soft, winter fruit compote finish with a dusting of botanical herbs. But textural harmony, seamless balance and fruit purity remain at the core of this wine’s essence. Another stunning wine delivered. Drink this from release and comfortably over the next 15 to 20 years.

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

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia is distributed to the UK trade by Armit Wines.

Release price for the 2017 is circa +35% up on the 2016 at around £850-£875 IB per 6.

Sassicaia 2016 – A Legendary Red Wine in the Making…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ 2 Comments

One of the great things about Sassicaia new releases is that every year you get to taste the new wine alongside the estate’s Guidalberto and the Le Difese cuvees, both from the subsequent vintage. Last year, while tasting the incredibly fine Sassicaia 2015, it was the Guidalberto 2016 that really turned heads and got tongues wagging. If the unofficial second wine is this good, what could we expect from Sassicaia 2016 itself!?

 

So after 12 months of waiting, we recently got to taste the new Sassicaia 2016 release in London. Rather unusually, the wine had already been tasted and rated 100 points by The Wine Advocate’s Italian reviewer, Monica Larner, which as can be expected, set the fine wine trade fully ablaze and sent merchants into a vinous frenzy as they ventured to secure precious allocations. Also, the fact that Monica Larner had scored the 2015 Sassicaia the same as I had at 97/100 merely served to further increase my own personal interest in the new release.

 

What can be confirmed is that both 2015 and 2016 are certainly two of the best back to back vintages anyone can remember in Tuscany. The 2010 Bolgheri reds were fantastically good and the 2013’s were also very memorable, but neither vintage was as highly anticipated as either the 2015 or 2016 releases. Hype can make vintages seem even better than they are, but in this case, these two back to back 5 star vintages seem to be fully grounded around their exceptional quality in the bottle.

 

Tasting the Sassicaia 2016 with Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta in London.

Both vintages saw long hot summers that encouraged vigorous vine growth. In 2015, a cold and rainy winter preceded an irregular spring followed by exceptionally hot, dry summer weather, creating small bunches of grapes, leading to reduced yields across the region, exacerbated by several violent August hailstorms, although concentration levels are very good. 2016 was another very good vintage in Tuscany which produced wines with deep colour, piercing freshness and impressive fragrance. However, yields across the region were again down by up to -20% compared to the average and at Sassicaia, their own yields were down at least -10%, which was reflected in merchant’s final bottle wine allocations.

 

Will the 2016 with is sublime fruit purity, linear tension and taught acid freshness live up to the legendary status of the 1985? Who knows? All that is certain is that it is an incredibly fine Sassicaia expression and possibly one of the best young Sassicaia releases I have ever tasted. Buy some, age it and if you are lucky, it will turn out to be a wine to rival the 1985 in cult status.

Tenuta San Guido Le Difese de Sassicaia 2017, IGT Toscana

As usual, the le Difese blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese delivers an incredible level of complexity and vinous pleasure for the price. The 2017 is a slightly opaque plum ruby red and offers up a fine aromatic melange of red cherries, melted tar, sweet baking spices, red plum confit, red liquorice and a piquant high note. Texturally the palate is bold and full, deliciously fleshy and plump with a glycerol weight that rolls around the mouth. Acids are sappy and fresh enlivening the sweet red fruit flavours of sun raisined red plum, sweet red cherry, aniseed and liquorice stick. Another classy, thoroughly delicious, opulent rendition of this Tuscan favourite. Drink now to 2025+.  

(Wine Safari Score: 91+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto 2017, IGT Toscana (Barrel Sample)

T he 2017 Guidalberto blend is made up of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot and has an alluring dark black plum colour. Like the le Difese 2017, there are attractive aromatic nuances of exotic grilled herbs and sweet dried spices that flow from the glass in a most seductive manner with layers of spicy red plum, pithy red cherry, incense, lipstick, graphite and a fabulous mineral undertone. The palate is super precise and sleek with a creamy, fleshy, harmonious concentration of sweet red cherries, bramble berries, plum skins and crushed limestone that is neatly and concisely supported by suave chalky dry tannins and a sappy, leafy sweet and sour acidity. The noteworthy power and intensity is offered up in a very approachable style but as always, suggests ageing this wine further will bring even greater textural harmony and with it enhanced drinking pleasure. Drink now to 2030+.  

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

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2016, DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia, Toscana

After tasting the super impressive Guidalberto 2016 last year, the anticipation for the release of the 2016 Sassicaia started building from that point for a full 12 months! The wine sticks to the classical blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc and offers up a cornucopia of perfumed aromatics of sweet red crystallised cherries, red bramble berries, dried herbs, sage, sweet cedar and a subtle menthol red peppercorn exoticism. Fabulously complex, the 2016 unfurls in the glass in the manner of a young Grand Cru Cotes de Nuits Burgundy overpowering the senses with a seamless, integrated harmonious concentration. Effortlessly classy, sublimely opulent and intense but also treads so lightly. The 2016 picks up precisely where the epic 2015 let off but adds a few extra dimensions of textural finesse and intensity without ever being overtly glossy. Very impressive effort indeed. Another expression that will undoubtedly be compared to the now iconic 1985 Sassicaia. Will it live up to those proven 100 point heights? Only time will tell but it looks a sure bet if ever there was one! Drink from 2022 to 2045+.  

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

Wines distributed to the UK trade through Armit Wines.

Sassicaia 2015 – An Outstanding Vintage Release to Rival the Great 1985 from Tenuta San Guido in Bolgheri…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

2015 was another wonderful year all across European winelands, producing some truly exceptional wines in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Spain, Germany, and of course Italy. While longer aged Brunello’s and Barolo’s are still some way off being released, 2018 is the year for a whole long awaited tranche of 2015 Tuscan gems from Sassicaia to Ornellaia, Tignanello to Solaia.

The release of the 2015 vintage of Sassicaia from Tenuta San Guido captures the essence of this truly unique vine growing terroir, showcasing generous, refined black fruit aromas, power and balance, together with beautiful freshness and elegance.

There has been much excitement about 2015 in Tuscany which the estate of Tenuta San Guido confidently compares to the very famous 1985 vintage. Both shared similar climatic conditions – a mild winter that was followed by heavy rains in the spring and a hot summer, with higher than average temperatures in June and July, resulting in very healthy vineyards and excellent ripening across all varietals.

Tenuta San Guido has created what James Suckling calls “potentially one of the best Sassicaia’s in decades”, awarding it 98/100 points in his most recent tasting report. Antonio Galloni’s early Bolgheri reports for Vinous, confirms that the “warm, dry growing season produced generous, highly expressive wines.” Collectors and connoisseurs of Italian Super Tuscan blends are in for a very big treat this vintage.

The Wines

Tenuta San Guido Le Difese 2016, IGT Toscana, 13.5% Abv.

Made up of its usual blend of 30% Sangiovese and 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is Sassicaia’s answer to an earlier drinking wine. Deliciously bright and inviting, the nose is intensely aromatic with spring violets, cherry blossom, dried rose petals and a wonderful melange of raspberry, crushed red cherries and salty red liquorice. Crunchy and crystalline, the palate shows velvety soft chalky tannins, mouth wateringly fresh acids, beautiful purity and a corresponding amount of verve and vigour. One wonders what else you could possible hope for from a classy little wine like this. Drink from release and for 10+ years if well cellared.

(Wine Safari Score: 91/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto 2016, IGT Toscana, 14% Abv.

Officially the second wine of Sassicaia created in 2000, this 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot blend is always one of the wineries most sought after wines due to its exceptionally high quality, outstanding value for money on release and its impressive ability to age. The aromatics tip their hat to big brother Sassicaia, with a dense core of Cabernet Sauvignon cedar spice, violets, cassis, earthy black berries and subtle mineral graphite notes. There is an abundance of opulence, expressive plummy flesh, leafy black currant spice and the most seamless, polished mineral tannins imaginable. A structural reprise on the finish reveals juicy tart red berry and cranberry fruit notes which combine with chalky grippy tannins, ensuring a long, distinguished finish brimming with power, elegance and superb textural balance. Drink from 2020 until 2035+

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

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2015, DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia, Toscana, 14% Abv.

Always exciting to taste this icon wine on release, none more so than in block buster quality years like 2015. First bottled commercially in 1968, this 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc blend comes from vineyards at 100 to 400 metres altitude, planted in soils rich in limestone and clay. The aromatics are instantly noticeable for their deeper, darker, riper, broodier fruit profile. Fairly closed and tight on opening, the perfume is a little shy but you can sense the depth and complexity waiting to emerge from beneath. So many notes of pithy black cherries, black currant, leafy black plum and a sappy, resinous fragrance from the Cabernet Franc component. The oaking is almost imperceptible, allowing the fruit and mineral terroir notes to take centre stage. The palate shows beautiful poise, elegance and harmonious balance, framing the red and black berry fruits with incredibly dense, creamy, velvety tannins. The acids are fresh and vibrant, embroidering the palate and keeping it crystalline and vital. Beautifully complex at this youthful stage, it remains imposing yet light on its feet, concentrated but energetic and pure. With such depth of fruit, intense structure and graphite minerality, this vintage looks set for a very long and distinguished road of evolution. A really outstanding effort. Drink from 2022 to 2045+

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