The origin of Sassicaia and Tenuta San Guido
Tenuta San Guido, an Italian winery located in the Bolgheri DOC in Tuscany, is widely known for producing "Super Tuscans". The origins of the winery go back to Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, who is also known as the co-owner of the racehorse Ribot. The remarkable Sassicaia, a Bordeaux-style red wine, was first produced in 1948 from Cabernet Sauvignon vines and was initially intended for personal consumption only. The name "Sassicaia", referring to the stony terrain of the vineyard, gained groundbreaking importance in the world of wines.
The marketing of Sassicaia
Although Sassicaia remained the Marchese's private pleasure for many years, his son Nicolò and nephew Piero Antinori convinced him to release this wine starting with the 1968 vintage, which was first released in 1971. Initially, only a few thousand bottles were available - but demand increased. To further improve the quality and increase production, Mario Incisa della Rocchetta brought on board the renowned oenologist Giacomo Tachis as a consultant.
Sassicaia's rise to world class
The international breakthrough of Sassicaia occurred in 1978 at a Decanter tasting of the "great Clarets". The Sassicaia 1972 was awarded by a jury that included renowned personalities such as Hugh Johnson, Serena Sutcliffe and Clive Coates.
The recognition as an independent DOC
In 1994 Sassicaia received the coveted distinction of its own DOC, the Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC.
The vineyards and production of Tenuta San Guido
Tenuta San Guido operates a winery in the Bolgheri area that extends over 75 hectares. The main grape varieties are 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc.
Other wines from Tenuta San Guido
In addition to the renowned Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido also produces other wines. The second wine, Guidalberto, was introduced in 2000 and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese. This wine has an annual production of 150,000 bottles. The most recent wine, Le Difese, is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese. Tenuta San Guido thus remains a leading player in the world of "Supertoscan".
