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![]() The Wines of Tenuta San Guido “Sassicaia could be described as New releases in 2008 - Sassicaia 2005 & Guidalberto 2006 ![]() The Wines of Tenuta San Guido ‘Tasting through several consecutive vintages of Sassicaia with winemaker Sebastiano Rosa (formerly at Argiano in Montalcino), one can’t help noticing the indelible sense of terroir that emanates from the 25 to 30 year-old vines that run deep in the stony soils of the San Guido estate (sasso means stone in Italian). Finesse, not power, is the hallmark of these wines. As Guidalberto Nicolò’s most recent wine is named after Guidalberto Della Gherardesca who lived in Bolgheri in the early 18th Century and who pioneered viticulture in this area. It was launched with the 2000 vintage; the first new wine to be released by the family since the launch of Sassicaia itself with the 1968. The grapes (45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Sangiovese/ 60% Cabernet S. and 40% Merlot from vintage 2006 ) come from vineyards which abut the Sassicaia vineyards, and which belong to a cousin of Nicolò’s. The grape varieties are fermented separately in stainless steel vats, and the wine is then aged in oak barrels: 10% new French, 20% new American and the remainder used formerly for Sassicaia. Blending takes place in the February following the vintage, after 18 months in oak. Sassicaia ‘..vintage after vintage, Sassicaia proves itself to be a wine of extraordinary finesse and exceptional quality, especially in its tannins’. Sassicaia is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc from the estate’s five parcels of vines. Their average age is 30 years and approximately 15,000 cases are produced annually. ‘Sassicaia is the quintessential Italian Cabernet Sauvignon. In very good to outstanding vintages, it shows a wonderful richness of berry, cassis and even a minty character, along with firm, silky tannins and a great backbone of acidity’. ![]() History The Sassicaia estate at Bolgheri, in coastal Traditionally, the family only made wine here for the consumption of relations, friends and local people; but Nicolò’s father Mario, who came from The Incisa Della Rocchetta family launched Sassicaia onto the open market with the 1968 vintage: the first to be commercially produced; and it was as well received as the Premiers Crus of Bordeaux. Six hundred cases were produced, and were marketed by the Antinoris. It was after completing his studies in The Incisa Della Rocchetta family emblem, a star, is at the centre of the Sassicaia label. It is not only the heraldic device of the family, but also possesses the magical virtues of the stellone of ![]() The Vines The Tenuta San Guido estate lies 5 miles inland from south-western The first vineyard was planted on the estate in the early 1940s (with some French grafts of Cabernet Sauvignon purchased from Château Lafite) near Castiglioncello, the Incisa Della Rochetta fortress which dominates the local landscape. The site was selected because of its perfect microclimate and the shelter from the sea breezes provided by the castle. The vineyard carries the name of the castle, and as each subsequent vineyard has been planted, it has been named after a nearby farmhouse or landmark. Eighty per cent of the vineyards enjoy a south-westerly exposure, and are planted at an altitude of between 250-300 feet above sea level; with the remainder further into the hills at an altitude of between 500-600 feet, seven miles inland. ![]() Harvesting and Vinification ‘Sassicaia is always instantly recognizable, largely because of its amazing fine-grained tannins, which are impeccably silky and velvetsmooth.’ Harvesting is all done by hand and with a low yield, of 5-6 tonnes of grapes per hectare, to ensure that each vine produces fruit rich in sugar, tannins, and potential extract. The original Sassicaia winery was located in Castiglioncello, the highest point of the estate. However, as demand for the wine increased, the winery needed to expand, and a new site was found, at the western end of the Vinification takes place in stainless steel vats with maceration normally lasting for around 14 days. Small French oak barriques, of which a third are renewed each year, are used to age the wine for 20 months. The wine is then aged in bottle, in the Tenuta San Guido cellars, for 6 months before ![]() Conclusion Sassicia is the greatest Cabernet-based wine of Sassicaia has become a scarce commodity and has reached iconic status since being declared the best Cabernet Sauvignon out of 33 wines from 11 countries, in 1978 at a Decanter Magazine Tasting by Hugh Johnson, Serena Sutcliffe and Clive Coates. It is our privilege to be Tenuta San Guido’s exclusive representative in the
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