Sassicaia is a modern-day marvel, born of humble origins, an accident of viticultural curiosity that has become a worldwide icon. It has pioneered the creation of a new ‘classic region’ in Bolgheri, it has added the words “Super Tuscan” into the dictionary and has been the inspiration for countless projects both on its own doorstep and in other parts of the world.

The wines - Sassicaia 2006, Guidalberto 2007 & Difese 2007

Buyer's report

Find out more about Tenuta San Guido

The wines

Sassicaia 2006 - order here

Price per case (inc. VAT) £1402.15 per 12 bottles

Large formats are now SOLD OUT

A fine depth of colour, a refined cassis nose with notes of applewood and soft spice. On the palate really expansive and richly textured with sweet, vibrant blackcurrant fruit. Scintillating acidity, beautifully ripe and grainy tannins, and lifted minerality made for an energetic and vital structural feel - but it was the sheer velvety fruit, silky elegance and sense of purity and length that gripped the senses. A magical, lilting wine with ethereal touches - outstanding potential. Drink from 2015 to 2035. - armit

The 2006 Sassicaia may very well go down as one of the all-time great recent vintages for this Tuscan thoroughbred. The year started off very warm but by August evening temperatures had moderated, leaving the fruit with a stunning combination of ripeness, perfume, acidity and tannin. The wine is simply glorious, that’s all there is to it. Layers of dark fruit meld into smoke, leather, violets, menthol, earthiness and tar as this profound wine opens up in the glass. The creamy, silky finish lasts an eternity, as waves of fruit caress the tannins with breathtaking elegance. Everything is in the right place in this magical Sassicaia. This is one for the ages. In a word: Awesome. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2031. This is a superb set of releases from Tenuta San Guido, the estate that put Maremma on the map as a terroir for world-class wine. - 97 points, Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate # 184 Aug 2009

Guidalberto 2007 - order here

Price per case (inc. VAT) £165 per 6 bottles

Guidalberto was first launched with the 2000 vintage and named after Guidalberto della Gheradesca, a pioneer of viticulture in the Bolgheri area during the early 18th century. In 2005, the blend changed. The Sangiovese was removed and a significant amount of declassified Cabernet Sauvignon usually destined for Sassicaia plus the Merlot grown on the San Guido estate became the other principal components. The wine was effectively re-launched and is now rightfully considered as the true second wine of Sassicaia

The wine is very much Sebastiano’s baby – so to speak – and quality is increasing year upon year, particularly from the 2006 vintage release thanks to the wonderful growing season. The style now reflects very much more the character and terroir of Sassicaia itself. With the 2007, another outstanding year, this wine is now firmly into its stride and offers fabulous quality at this price level.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, with a significant proportion of the Cabernet being a direct declassification of the Sassicaia cuvée. Deep in colour with a cedary, blackcurrant nose the palate has rich cassis fruit with dissolved grainy tannins and a touch of white pepper spice. Persistent, refined and beautifullybalanced with some of the texture and minerality of a baby Sassicaia - in a more open and forward style. Drink from now to 2015. - armit

The 2007 Guidalberto is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, with most of the fruit coming from a property adjacent to the vineyards used for Sassicaia. About 20% of the wine consists of declassified barrels of Sassicaia. The 2007 Guidalberto is another sexy, ripe offering from Tenuta San Guido. The wine reveals gorgeous inner perfume and endless layers of fruit that coat the palate all the way through to the long finish. The 2007 is not likely to be as long-lived as the 2006, but I doubt that will be much of a problem as these bottles are likely to be long gone by the time ageability becomes an issue. Readers will have a very hard time keeping their hands off this irresistible, sensual, opulent wine. The 2007 is another blockbuster Guidalberto! Anticipated maturity: 2010-2020. - 92 points, Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate # 184 Aug 2009

Difese 2007 - order here

Price per case (In Bond)     SOLD OUT

We are delighted to offer a new wine for the first time in the UK, Le Difese, which is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese. The Cabernet is sourced from the San Guido estate but the Sangiovese comes from the neighbouring Gheradesca estate, so still very much within the family. The aim here is to produce a wine of accessibility and youthful pleasure, in contrast to the more structured and long-lived style of Sassicaia. As with the Guidalberto, Sebastiano has made great strides with this wine and we feel that it he has hit the bull’s eye now in producing a very Tuscan blend of flavours at a very fair price.

An attractive mulberry and black cherry nose gives way to notes of cassis and herbs on the palate. Lovely bitter-sweet cherry fruit touches emerge with lifted acidity and a crisp pastille fruit finish. Drink from now and over the next 3 years. - armit

The entry-level 2007 Le Difese is one of the finest values in Tuscany. I can’t think of too many wines that deliver this level of quality for the money. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese, the wine reveals gorgeous purity in its sweet, perfumed fruit. This is an especially opulent, generous Le Difese that is simply delicious. I suppose the tannins could use a touch more polish, but that is splitting hairs at this level. The wine delivers incredible pleasure and even better, happens to be a great value. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2014. - 90 points, Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate # 184 Aug 2009

Buyer's report

The growing season was very consistent. After a fine spring and good fruit set both June and July were very warm and luminous. However, both August and September remained bright and sunny, but noticeably cooler, which promoted a consistent ripening period and produced grapes of superb concentration and immaculate health. Harvesting started at the very end of August and was completed in the higher altitude vineyards by the middle of September.

It is really worth stressing how the wine is, as importantly, a complex blend of over a dozen vineyard sites – all located in different aspects and topography and, uniquely for this region, from hillside and higher altitude locations. Combine these factors with the high concentration of deep, white stoned soil in the vineyards, avoidance of deliberately late harvesting and restrained influences of new wood and it becomes clearer as to why this wine is so unique in style and quality.

As ever this is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc and has been aged in French oak barriques for nearly 2 years, of which only 25% were new.

I first tasted the infant Sassicaia 2006 out of barrel with winemaker Dr. Sebastiano Rosa on 5 July 2007. I was simply stunned by the sheer intensity and purity of the wine and how truly persistent, refined and concentrated it was. Rarely have a tasted a red wine at this stage of its life that so excited the senses.

When I retasted the wine on 6 February 2008 – just after its final racking – it had mellowed and integrated further, but the sense of concentration and purity remained profound. This was only confirmed during my last tasting at Sassicaia on 16 March this year.

Such is the allure of this wine for both owner Marchese Nìcolo della Rocchetta and Sebastiano Rosa, both said on that visit that it comfortably sits alongside years such as 1985, 1990 and 1998 in terms of quality and potential. For Sebastiano it is a very “special” wine and potentially “the best for twenty years”. Nìcolo is not one for extravagant praise, but he has the knowledge and insight of working with every one of the commercially released vintages of Sassicaia over the last 40 years, so his modest “similar, but better than 1998” is worth listening to.

Sassicaia, however, is impossible to replicate. There is nothing like it and its uniqueness is of course part of its greatness. While the world has become fascinated by high-octane wines of immense power and presence, Sassicaia has followed its own path, regardless of the vagaries of fashion. The 2006 vintage will surely be seen in future years as a truly great Sassicaia, a tribute to the creative vision of Mario Incisa della Rocchetta and to the talents and commitment of Nicolò and Sebastiano.

James Suckling, Winespectator - “But Sassicaia is such a loveable wine. It is a wine that has soul. It’s one of those iconic wines that make you want to own and to drink them… What I like about Sassicaia is that it is so drinkable – even when it's young. It is never overdone or exaggerated. The wine always shows subtlety and reserve. It seems to gain strength with age in the bottle. The latter point is also why it can be difficult to judge when young. I found in the tasting last night that many of the wines tasted better than I remembered from blind tastings in my office when they were young”

The creation of the second wine Guidalberto and more recently Le Difese, now launched in the UK for the first time, has enabled the quality of Sassicaia to push ever upwards but it has also allowed a new generation of winelovers to access the wines of this great estate at a more affordable price level and without need for years of patient cellaring. Guidalberto has become a huge success in only a handful of vintages and we are confident that Le Difese too will be welcomed warmly. Both also show the outstanding quality that the 2007 vintage has delivered in Bolgheri.